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HANDBOUND 
AT  THE 


UNIVERSITY  OF 
TORONTO  PRESS 


MISS   BERRY'S 


JOUENALS    AND    COKBESPONDENCE, 


VOL.  II. 


LOlfDOW 

PEIIfTBD     BY    SPOTTISWOODE    AICD     CO. 
ItEW-STBBET    SQITAEB 


Longman  8cC° 


EXTRACTS 


JOURNALS    AND    CORRESPONDENCE 


OF 


MISS    BERRY 


FROM    THE    YEAR     1783    TO     1852. 


EDITED    BT 


LADY   THERESA    LEWIS. 


IN    THREE    VOLUMES. 

VOL.  n. 


LONDON : 
LONGMANS,    GREEN,    AND     CO. 

1865. 


MICRUi   .       .J  BY 


. 


, 
•st-jx.  V  •  •'_...,> 

DATE    AUb  zs  ^  ib)89 


52>b 


JOURNAL 


CORRESPONDENCE   OF   MISS  BERRY. 


1796. 

Miss  BERRY  stated  in  her  entry  for  this  year  that 
General  O'Hara  had  met  them  at  Cheltenham,  and  after- 
wards at  Park  Place.  He  was  no  new  acquaintance  to 
Miss  Berry,  for  so  early  as  the  year  1784  he  is  mentioned 
in  her  journal  as  having  accompanied  their  party  in  their 
expedition  to  the  Falls  of  Terni. 

General  O'Hara  was  highly  esteemed  by  those  with 
whom  Miss  Berry  lived  in  greatest  intimacy.  He  is 
often  mentioned  with  praise  and  interest  in  Lord  Orford's 
letters.  He  was  a  cherished  friend  of  Marshal  Conway 
and  Lady  Ailesbury,  and  was  on  terms  of  almost  brotherly 
affection  with  their  daughter  Mrs.  Darner.  He  was  for 
some  years  Governor  of  Gibraltar,  and  the  following 
character  of  him,  which  appeared  in  the  novel  of  '  Cyril 
Thornton,'  may  throw  some  light  on  his  claims  to  the 
warm  admiration  of  his  friends,  and  to  that  enthusiastic 
love,  which  he  inspired  in  vain,  and  never  really  lost : — 

'  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  recur  to  the  period  of  my  sojourn 
in  Gibraltar,  and  yet  to  say  nothing  of  the  governor,  General 
O'Hara.  His  appearance,  indeed,  was  of  that  striking  cast, 
which,  once  seen,  is  not  easily  forgotten.  General  O'Hara  was 

VOL.  II.  B 


'2  LETTERS.  [1796 

the  most  perfect  specimen  I  ever  saw,  of  the  soldier  and  courtier 
of  the  last  age,  and  in  his  youth  had  fought  with  Granby  and 
Ligonier.  .  .  .  Notwithstanding  the  strictness  of  the  discipline 
which  he  scrupulously  enforced  in  the  garrison  which  he  com- 
manded, no  officer  could  be  more  universally  popular  than 
General  O'Hara.  ...  In  his  own  house,  and,  above  all,  at  his 
own  table,  he  delighted  to  cast  off  all  distinction  of  rank,  and 
to  associate  on  terms  of  perfect  equality  with  even  the  humblest 
of  his  guests.  The  honours  of  the  table  were  done  by  his  staff, 
and  the  General  was  in  nothing  distinguished  from  those  around 
him,  except  by  being  undoubtedly  the  gayest  and  most  agreeable 
person  in  the  company.  .  .  .  Before  we  quitted  Gibraltar  he 
died.  There  was  no  hypocrisy  in  the  heavy  looks  of  the  soldiers, 
as  they  followed  his  remains  to  their  last  earthly  tenement.' — 
Vide  Cyril  Thornton,  vol.  ii.  pp.  159,  J  60,  161,  163. 

How  far  General  O'Hara  was  really  worthy  of  the 
ardent  admiration  with  which  Miss  Berry  viewed  his 
general  character  and  his  powers  of  mind,  it  is  needless 
to  enquire.  She  loved  him  with  that  warm  and  generous 
enthusiasm  that  invests  its  object  with  every  human 
quality  deemed  necessary  to  perfection,  and  to  the  latest 
years  of  her  life  she  firmly  believed  that  her  union  with 
him  would  have  given  increased  elevation  to  her  own 
character,  would  have  called  forth  the  best  feelings  of  her 
heart,  and  secured  her  happiness  in  this  world.  At  Chel- 
tenham she  became  aware  of  the  more  tender  and  serious 
nature  of  his  sentiments  towards  her,  and  an  engagement 
of  marriage,  formed  during  the  subsequent  visit  to  Park 
Place,  was  the  result  of  their  mutual  attachment.  How 
Lord  Orfordbore  the  intelligence  of  this  projected  change 
in  the  life  of  one  of  his  '  beloved  wives,'  does  not  appear 
by  any  of  his  letters ;  but  it  certainly  was  matter  of 
considerable  anxiety  to  both  General  O'Hara  and  Miss 
Berry  that  the  communication  should  be  so  made  as  to 
avoid  giving  pain  to  her  devoted  old  friend.  The  letters 
which  close  the  correspondence  with  Lord  Orford  of  this 
year  are  full  of  solicitude  for  her  health,  and  show  that 


1796]  GENERAL   O'HARA.  3 

his  interest  in  her  welfare  was  unabated.  General  O'Hara 
quitted  England  for  Gibraltar  in  the  month  of  November. 
He  proposed  an  immediate  marriage,  in  order  that  Miss 
Berry  might  accompany  him,  but  she  conceived  it  her 
duty  to  decline  this  offer  out  of  consideration  for  others. 
'  In  submitting  to  this  absence,'  she  wrote,  '  I  think  I  am 
doing  right.  I  am  sure  I  am  consulting  the  peace  and 
happiness  of  those  about  me,  and  not  my  own'  Perhaps 
she  mistook  her  line  of  duty ;  perhaps  she  brought  upon 
herself  greater  evils  than  those  she  meant  to  avert ;  but 
who  will  not  admire  the  self-sacrificing  spirit  in  which 
her  decision  was  made  ?  They  never  met  again,  and  a 
shade  of  tender  regret  was  cast  upon  her  long  life  that 
was  never  effaced.  Forty-eight  years  after  the  engage- 
ment was  broken,  and  correspondence  terminated,  Miss 
Berry  reopened  the  packet  of  letters  that  had  passed  at 
this  time,  and  ere  she  closed  it  again,  attached  to  it  the 
following  touching  little  record  of  the  disappointed  hopes 
and  blighted  affection  that  deepened  the  natural  vein  of 
sadness  in  her  character  : — 

( This  parcel  of  letters  relate  to  the  six  happiest  months  of 
my  long  and  insignificant  existence,  although  these  six  months 
were  accompanied  by  fatiguing  and  unavoidable  UD certainty, 
and  by  the  absence  of  every  thing  that  could  constitute  present 
enjoyment.  But  I  looked  forward  to  a  future  existence  which 
I  felt,  for  the  first  time,  would  have  called  out  all  the  powers  of 
my  mind  and  all  the  warmest  feelings  of  my  heart,  and  should 
have  been  supported  by  one  who  but  for  the  cruel  absence  which 
separated  us,  would  never  have  for  a  moment  doubted  that  we 
should  have  materially  contributed  to  each  other's  happiness. 
These  prospects  served  even  to  pass  cheerfully  a  long  winter  of 
delays  and  uncertainty,  by  keeping  my  mind  firmly  riveted  on 
their  accomplishment.  A  concatenation  of  unfortunate  circum- 
stances— the  political  state  of  Europe  making  absence  a  neces- 
sity, and  even  frequent  communication  impossible,  letters  lost 
and  delayed,  all  certainty  of  meeting  more  difficult,  questions  un- 
answered, doubts  unsatisfied.  All  these  circumstances  combined 

B  2 


4  LETTERS.  [1796 

in  the  most  unlucky  manner  crushed  the  fair  fabric  of  my  hap- 
piness, not  at  one  fell  shock,  but  by  the  slow  mining  misery  of 
loss  of  confidence,  of  unmerited  complaints,  of  finding  by  de- 
grees misunderstandings,  and  the  firm  rock  of  mutual  confidence 
crumbling  under  my  feet,  while  my  bosom  for  long  could  not 
banish  a  hope  that  all  might  yet  be  set  right.  And  so  it  would, 
had  we  ever  met  for  twenty-four  hours.  But  he  remained  at 
his  government  at  Gibraltar  till  his  death,  in  1802.  And  I, 
forty-two  years  afterwards,  on  opening  these  papers  which  had 
been  sealed  up  ever  since,  receive  the  conviction  that  some 
feelings  in  some  minds  are  indelible.' — M.  B.,  Oct.  1844. 

Miss  Berry's  view  of  the  blessings  of  married  life  is 
so  beautifully  portrayed  in  her  '  Life  of  Lady  Eachel 
Eussell,'  that  it  cannot  be  read  without  feeling  how 
capable  she  was  of  appreciating  the  value  of  that  happi- 
ness which  it  was  her  misfortune  to  have  missed : — 

'  It  was  thus,  surely,  that  intellectual  beings  of  different  sexes 
were  intended  by  their  Great  Creator  to  go  through  the  world 
together; — thus  united,  not  only  in  hand  and  heart,  but  in 
principles,  in  intellect,  in  views,  and  in  disposition — each  pur- 
suing one  common  and  noble  end,  their  own  improvement,  and 
the  happiness  of  those  around  them,  by  the  different  means 
appropriate  to  their  sex  and  situation ; — mutually  correcting, 
sustaining  and  strengthening  each  other;  undegraded  by  all 
practices  of  tyranny  on  the  one  part,  and  of  deceit  on  the  other ; 
each  finding  a  candid  but  severe  judge  in  the  understanding, 
and  a  warm  and  partial  advocate  in  the  heart  of  their  com- 
panion ;  secure  of  a  refuge  from  the  vexations,  the  follies,  the 
misunderstandings  and  the  evils  of  the  world,  in  the  arms  of 
each  other,  and  in  the  inestimable  enjoyments  of  unlimited 
confidence  and  unrestrained  intimacy.'  * 

It  was  at  the  end  of  April  1796  that  the  engagement 
with  General  O'Hara  was  finally  broken  off.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  a  letter  of  Miss  Berry's  to  Lord 
Orford  evidently  alludes  to  her  recent  distress  : — 

*  Life  of  Lady  Rachel  Russell,  prefixed  to  her  Letters. 


1796]      PUBLIC   BECEPTIOX   OF   THE   PRINCESS    OF   WALES.      5 

,  May  19,  1796. 

But  let  me  assure  you  (though  I  trust  you  know  me  too  well 
to  doubt  it),  that  whether  in  or  out  of  spirits,  happy  or  other- 
wise, every  new  occurrence  of  my  life  only  seems  to  give  me 
fresh  instances  of  your  consoling  friendship,  to  increase  my 
confidence  in  it,  and  to  convince  me  that  I  may  flatter  myself 
with  having  inspired  one  sentiment  at  least  as  lasting  as  it  is 
rare.  Farewell. 

From  Lord  Orford. 

May  30,  1796.    3  o'clock. 

A  million  of  thanks  for  yr  letter,  though  with  my  poor 
scrawling  hand  I  don't  think  I  can  have  time  to  answer  a 
quarter  of  it  before  the  post  departs.  I  have  had  people  till 
this  instant,  and  Kirgate  is  not  at  home,  and  I  have  been  forced 
to  get  Sir  Charles  to  write  letters  to  Norfolk,  where  there  is 
started  up  an  opposition  to  Coke  and  Wodehouse,  whom  I  must 
support. 

My  first  object  is  to  beg  you  to  stay  as  long  as  it  does  you 
all  good ;  yet  to-day  is  most  unfavourable. 

I  want  no  book  but  *  first  volume  of  the  Thames. 

The  scene  at  the  Opera  on  Saturday  was  much  stronger  than 
even  the  papers  represented.  The  Princess  at  first  retired, 
but  the  Duke  of  Leeds  persuaded  her  to  stand  up  and  curtsie. 
She  did,  and  then  all  the  house  rose,  and  then  every  woman 
as  well  as  man,  in  every  part,  clapped  incessantly,  and  re- 
peated it,  and  it  was  well  two  other  persons  were  not  there,  as 
insults  were  loudly  declared  to  be  intended,  and  on  their  not 
appearing,  *  (rod  save  the  King '  was  called  for,  and  sung  with  the 
same  view.  Their  Majesties  were  not  there,  or  a  third  person 
might  have  heard  something  unpleasant,  as  the  town  has  got  a 
notion  of  too  much  favouring  Lady  J.  at  least. 

My  fingers  are  too  bad  to  suffer  my  writing  more,  and  I  am 
sure  you  will  forgive  yr  0. 

From  Professor  Play  fair  to  Miss  Berry. 

Edinb.,  May  8, 1796. 
DEAR  MADAM, — When  I  took  the  liberty  of  asking  permission 

*  The  name  is  much  blotted,  but  was  probably  Farringdon,  the  author  of 
'  Britannia  Depicta.' 


6  LETTERS.  [1796 

to  write  to  you  I  said  I  would  not  be  troublesome  by  the  fre- 
quency of  my  letters,  and  I  have  indeed  kept  my  word  with 
disgraceful  punctuality. 

The  whole  business  of  this  letter,  I  fear,  will  be  nothing  else 
but  to  make  apologies  and  to  ask  questions.  How  does  Lord 
Orford  ?  His  mind  has  so  entirely  resisted  the  approaches  of 
old  age,  that  I  would  fain  hope  his  body  will  still  hold  out  for 
a  long  time,  tho'  it  has  not,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  made  so 
vigorous  a  resistance  as  the  intellectual  part.  The  literary  world 
would  wish  to  prolong  the  possession  of  one  of  its  brightest 
ornaments,  more  especially  at  a  season  like  this  when  it  has 
suffered  so  many  losses  and  is  threatened  with  such  unknown 
calamities. 

Let  me  entreat  your  patience  while  I  propose  one  question 
more.  In  what  state  is  the  MS.  you  did  me  the  honour  to  show 
me  at  Twickenham  ?*  Is  it  perished,  or  have  you  executed  the 
plan  that  you  proposed  about  submitting  it  to  Lord  0.  ?  The 
more  I  think  of  it,  and  consider  its  superority  in  every  point  to 
anything  that  has  appeared  for  many  years,  and  of  the  dialogue, 
in  particular,  to  anything  that  has  perhaps  ever  appeared  with 
us,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  it  would  have  the  most  brilliant 
success.  But  I  am  doubtful  how  it  will  be  brought  forward  if 
the  author  is  resolved,  at  all  events,  to  remain  unknown. 

In  return  for  all  the  valuable  information  that  I  am  thus 
requesting  you  to  communicate,  I  wish  I  had  anything  that  I 
could  offer  in  exchange.  The  literary  and  philosophical  world, 
at  least  such  parts  as  I  hear  of,  afford  but  little  that  is  interest- 
ing. I  waited  with  much  impatience  for  the  *  Life  and  Miscel- 
laneous Works  of  Gibbon,'  and  if  I  have  not  been  quite  so 
much  delighted  as  I  supposed,  I  have  yet  been  highly  gratified 
by  becoming  more  intimately  acquainted  with  the  person  and 
character  of  a  great  man  whom  I  had  before  only  admired 
at  an  immense  distance.  Lord  Sheffield  has  not  been  very 
discriminating  in  the  selection  of  some  of  the  pieces  he  has 
given  to  the  public,  and  I  wonder  that  his  lordship  should 
have  preferred  the  character  of  an  exact  editor  to  that  of  a 
delicate  friend.  After  all,  he  has  suppressed,  I  fear,  some 
valuable  details  concerning  the  progress  of  Gibbon's  religious 
opinions,  which,  I  think,  should  on  no  account  have  been  done. 

*  This  must  refer  to  Miss  Berry's  play  of  'Fashionable  Friends,' 


1796]  LETTER   FROM   PROFESSOR   PLAYFAIR. 

This,  however,  is  but  conjecture,  and,  on  the  whole,  I  feel  much 
gratitude,  both  to  the  author  and  the  editor.  I  have  lately  seen 
a  posthumous  work  of  Condorcet's ;  it  is  a  very  curious  book, 
full  of  false  views  and  unsound  principles,  mingled  with  truth 
and  philosophy  in  a  manner  extremely  ingenious  and  artful. 
But  I  must  leave  it  for  another  letter,  as  this  is  grown  most 
insufferably  long. 

I  fancy  to  myself  Miss  Agnes,  this  time,  one  of  the  greatest 
metaphysicians  of  the  age,  and  familiar  with  every  argument  of 
Locke,  Berkley,  Leibnitz,  and  Hume.  At  least  she  was  setting 
about  the  study  with  so  much  industry  when  I  saw  her  last,  that, 
knowing  her  abilities  for  the  acquisition  of  that  or  any  other 
branch  of  science  as  well  as  I  do,  I  cannot  doubt  of  her  having 
made  such  proficiency.  She  at  least  has  not  the  excuse  that 
your  favourite  poet  has  so  beautifully  applied  to  himself  in  the 
case  of  another  science, 

Gelidus  obstiterit  circum  praecordia  sanguis; 

and,  therefore,  if  she  has  not  extended  her  researches  as  far  as 
I  suppose,  I  will  ascribe  it  solely  to  the  avocations  of  a  fashion- 
able winter  spent  in  the  gay  circles  of  London,  which,  to  say 
the  truth,  it  must  be  very  difficult  to  unite  with  the  abstract 
speculations  of  metaphysics.  Be  that  as  it  will,  I  shall  have 
the  honour  of  writing  her  a  long  letter  of  metaphysics  very 
soon. 

If  I  dared  to  ask  you  another  question,  it  would  be  what  you 
are  yourself  just  now  busied  with — what  studies  of  Greek  verse 
are  to  be  37our  amusements  in  the  summer  ?  Are  you  to  be  at 
Twickenham  all  the  summer,  or  what  are  your  other  arrange- 
ments ?  .  .  .  . 

I  must  now  make  an  end,  for  you  will  begin  to  think  that 
I  can  no  more  measure  time  in  writing  than  in  not  writing, 
and  the  former  to  one's  correspondents  may  prove  the  most 
incommodious  error  of  the  two.  I  must,  therefore,  only  ;i<l<l 
that  I  have  committed  this  great  packet,  with  the  'Life  of  Mr. 
Smith,'  which  accompanies  it,  to  the  care  of  young  Dundas. 
who  has  undertaken  to  convey  them  to  you  in  safety.  The 
Life  is  a  present  from  the  author,  who  had  once  the  pleasure  to 
converse  with  you  for  a  very  short  time  indeed,  but  long  enough 
to  convince  him  thut  few  people  are  so  well  entitled  as  your« •!;' 


8  LETTERS.  [1796 

to  a  present  of  the  kind  that  he  now  sends  you.  Permit  me 
only  to  add  that,  with  the  utmost  sincerity  of  esteem  and  friend- 
ship, 

I  am,  dear  Madam, 

Your  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 


From  Lord  Orford. 

Berkeley  Square,  June  2,  1796. 

I  hope  the  post  will  bring  this  to  you  before  you  set  out  to- 
morrow, which  I  do  not  write  so  much  to  answer  your  letter, 
as  to  remind  you  that  you  must  return  to-morrow  if  you  mean 
to  go  to  the  exhibition  on  Sunday  with  Mr.  Farringdon,  who 
lives  at  No.  35,  in  Charlotte  Street,  Rathbone  Place.  I  speak 
very  disinterestedly,  for  I  am  sure  I  shall  not  be  able  to  accom- 
pany you,  as  my  legs  are  not  yet  well. 

I  am  glad  all  yr  improvements  have  succeeded  so  well ;  I 
wish  I  may  ever  see  them ! 

I  did  not  suppose  you  cd  send  me  my  commissions  on  Monday, 
it  was  so  tempestuous  that  nobody  who  had  not  a  rage  for  going 
abroad  at  the  very  moment  she  had  proposed  to  do  anything, 
could  have  taken  it  for  a  day  suited  for  a  jaunt  into  the  country, 
much  less  was  it  one  for  yr  crossing  my  lawn.  Apropos,  the 
'  Thames '  is  not  in  numbers,  but  in  a  volume  half-bound,  I 
think. 

The  crisis  ripens,  the  universal  applause  was  repeated  on 
Tuesday  at  the  Opera,  but  nothing  offensive  heard.  I  think 
her  appearance  was  well  advised;  her  absence  would  havefallen 
on  her  husband  and  been  imputed  to  him ;  to  suppose  that 
she  sought  popularity  would  have  offended  nobody  but  him, 
which  at  this  moment  could  not  have  made  the  case  worse.  He 
is  said  to  be  gone  to  the  Grange  for  a  month. — Oh !  I  must 
interrupt  myself,  I  have  this  moment  had  such  infinite  pleasure ! 
my  dearest  Duchess  of  Richmond  *  has  this  moment  been  here  ! 
and  oh !  she  looks  so  much  better  than  when  I  saw  her  in  the 
summer.  She  has  recovered  much  of  her  sweet  countenance, 
her  spirits  are  returned,  and  her  manner  is  like  itself — in  short, 

*  The  Duchess  of  Richmond  died  in  the  following  November.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Bruce,  Earl  of  Ailesbury. 


1796]  MISS  BERRY'S  MENTAL  DISTRESS.  9 

my  joy  has  made  me  shed  tears !  But  I  will  resume  my  letter, 
or  I  shall  not  save  the  post. 

and  is  not  to  be  at  the  birthday.  Lady  J removed 

three  days  ago  to  her  daughter's  new  house,  and,  as  her  new 
child  is  dead,  will  probably  move  farther,  for  her  present  posi- 
tion is  not  tenable.  Lady  Harriet  is  gone  to  Nuneham  for 
a  long  season,  on  pretence  of  St.  Antony's  fire — but  I  must 
finish. 

The  Dutch  fleet  has  been  found  at  the  Canaries,  nine  ships, 
but  in  a  most  deplorable  condition,  and  the  sailors  all  ill.  Adieu 
till  to-morrow. 

Berk.  Sq.,  June  25,  1796. 

How  grieved  I  am  at  the  bad  account  you  still  give  of  your- 
self, and  that  real  summer  does  not  mend  you !  My  hand  is 
better,  tho'  you  see  with  what  difficulty  I  yet  write, yet  I  would 
positively  scratch  out  a  few  words  to  convince  you  I  can,  and 
to  tell  you  Hewetson  has  assured  me  I  may  go  with  perfect 
security  to  Str.  on  Thursday  next,  and  even  stay  there  for 
some  days ;  but  I  shall  see  you  on  Monday. 

I  have  been  tempted  to  make  Kirgate  frank  this,  as  his 
hand  is  so  very  like  to  mine ;  but  I  would  not  venture  any 
miscarriage,  when  a  note  to  you  and  a  letter  to  Agnes  were 
concerned.  This  attempt  says  more  than  all  I  would  say  if  I 
had  my  old  pen  from  the  wing  of  Hercules,  my  ancient  goosely 
stationer. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  written  by  Miss  Berry 
to  an  intimate  friend  at  this  time  shows  how  much  her 
nerves  and  health  had  suffered  from  mental  distress,  and 
how  vigorously  she  resolved  to  combat  the  effects  of  her 
depression : — 

London,  June,  1796. 

You  cannot  have  desired  more  to  hear  from  me  than  I  to 
write  to  you,  but  for  above  a  week  I  was  really  incapacitated 
by  illness,  and  although  the  extreme  irritation  on  my  nerves 
has  been  quieted  by  five  days  of  perfect  retirement  in  the 
country,  such  has  been,  and  is,  the  depression  on  my  spirits 
that  I  have  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to  avoid  everything 
likely  to  agitate  them.  But  do  not  suppose  this  long  period 


10  .  LETTERS.  [1796 

of  mental  and  bodily  suffering  has  been  lost  upon  me.  I  have 
'  communed  much  with  myself  in  my  own  chamber  ; '  I  have 
reflected,  and  seriously  reflected,  that,  however  little  I  have 
hitherto  enjoyed,  and  much  I  have  suffered  in  life  from  the 
circumstances  in  which  I  have  been  placed  being  quite  inap- 
propriated  to  my  situation,  still,  that  a  being  endowed  by 
nature  with  a  sound  understanding,  possessing  a  cultivated 
mind  and  a  warmly  affectionate  heart,  cannot  be  intended  for 
unhappiness,  nay,  can  never  be  permanently  unhappy  but  from 
its  own  fault,  and  that  with  a  conscience  as  clear  as  mine,  it 
will  indeed  be  my  own  fault,  if  I  do  not  make  my  future  life 
less  uncomfortable  than  my  past.  All  this  I  have  felt  under 
the  severe  tho'  perhaps  salutary  pressure  of  a  recent  and  cruel 
disappointment. 

• 

In  the  months  of  July  and  August  Miss  Berry  accom- 
panied Mrs.  Darner,  first  to  Bognor,  and  afterwards  to 
Goodwood.* 

From  Lord  Orford. 

Straw. -hill,  July  25,  1796. 

I  have  not  writ  to  you  till  to-day  that  I  was  sure  I  was 
well  enough ;  for  two  days  I  was  in  a  strange  way,  yet  said 
nothing  of  it.  On  Friday  I  came  down  to  breakfast,  and  then 
attempting  to  dictate  my  catalogue  for  Princess  Elizabeth, 
Kirgate  perceived  that  I  neither  articulated,  nor  used  right 
words,  and  advised  me  to  leave  off.  I  did,  and  sent  for  the 
apothecary,  who  found  my  pulse  low  and  quick,  and  would 
have  had  me  take  aether,  but  I  would  take  nothing  without 
Hewetson.  Your  father  and  sister  were  with  me  looking  over 
prints  in  the  evening,  but  thought  I  was  very  low,  tho'  I  com- 
plained of  nothing  ;  but  at  one  I  waked  with  a  great  palpitation, 
I  was  forced  to  call  up  my  servants,  and  really  thought  I  was 
going;  but  about  three  I  felt  sleepy,  and  did  not  wake  till 
seven  o'clock,  since  when  I  have  been  perfectly  well, — such  a 
strange  constitution  I  have ! 

Lysoris  and  Mr.  Farringdon  dined  with  me  yesterday,  but  I 

*  Seat  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond. 


i:96]        LORD  ORFORD'S  SERIOUS  INDISPOSITION.  11 

did  not  go  down  to  dinner.  They  went  in  the  evening  to  see 
Agnes's  bower,  and  then  came  at  night  with  her  and  her 
father  hither. 

I  am  glad  you  find  your  rocks  are  groves  not  quarries,  and, 
consequently,  that  you  will  saunter,  and  not  be  snapped  up  by 
a  privateer.  I  wish  you  could  have  given  me  a  better  account 
of  rny  dearest  Duchess  ;  tell  me  when  you  see  her  again  exactly 
how  you  find  her. 

I  have  made  more  blots  than  words j  but  they  make  so  con- 
siderable a  part  of  my  letter,  that  I  could  not  spare  them,  tho' 
they  contribute  nothing  to  the  story.  Both  my  hands  and  my 
head  are  much  worn  out,  and  as  I  cannot  write  with  my  pulse, 
I  will  set  you  no  longer  to  deciphering. — Adieu ! 

Strawb.-hill,  July  2G,  '96. 

I  received  yr  letter  from  Bognor  this  morning,  and  am 
mighty  glad  your  rocks  are  not  of  a  temper  to  receive  vessels 
with  open  arms.  It  would  not  be  pleasant  to  have  one's 
betrothed  turned  into  the  Fiancee  du  Roi  du  Gallia.  Our 
Tritons  are  humane  and  polite  enough  to  have  all  manner  of 
attentions  for  women ;  but  the  French,  if  they  get  to  Kome, 
will  be  brutal  even  to  the  Virgin  Mary. 

You  see  I  am  piquing  myself  upon  writing  legibly,  and  not 
making  a  thousand  blots  ;  consequently,  the  Lord  knows  when 
I  shall  have  finished  my  letter;  besides,  my  pen  limps,  and 
forgets  its  spelling.  I  shall  go  to  town  to-morrow  for  a  couple 
of  days,  but  am  not  likely  to  see  a  soul  but  people  on  business. 
I  sat  with  Agnes  this  evening,  she  is  delighted  with  your  writing 
to  her  so  daily.  Before  I  went  to  her,  Lady  Cecilia  and  Mrs. 
Johnstone  came  and  drank  tea  with  me,  and  to  thank  me  for 
venison  and  orange  flowers.  They  told  me  it  is  feared  the 
French  will  forbid  the  bans  with  the  Duke  of  Wurtemburg  *  by 
seizing  his  dominions,  and  that  Lady  A.  Cumberland  is  ap- 
pointed Lady  to  the  younger  Princesses.  I  answer  for  nothing 
from  Hampton  gazettes,  nor  know  anything  more  substantial. 

The  living  of  Crostwick, — which  the  madam  who  calls  herself 
Mrs.  Aufrere,  and  I  would  call  Mrs.  Auferre,  would  have 
candied  off  from  me,  is  not  vacant,  and  if  it  were,  and  in  my 

'  His  marriage  with  the  Princess  Royal  of  England. 


12  LETTERS.  [1796 

gift,  I  should  have  wished  it  a  thousand, — is  a  miserable  pittance 
of  not  thirty  pounds  a  year ;  so  you  will  not  name  it,  unless  it 
will  please  my  sweetest  to  hear  she  was  the  first  in  my 
thoughts. 

Wednesday  evening. 

I  came  as  I  have  told  you  I  intended,  but  I  have  not  heard 
a  syllable  new,  or  seen  an  acquaintance,  but  the  Churchills 
and  Horace,  and  they  were  going  with  the  children  to  Astley's ; 
fortunately  Mrs.  Chatterpost  had  intended  to  bring  her  husband 
to  dine  with  me  to-morrow,  which  my  coming  prevented.  I 
suppose  she  thought  I  should  be  melancholy  not  to  know 
everything  in  the  world  that  is  not  worth  knowing. 

I  find  that  my  memory  fails  in  a  very  novel  manner.  I 
moult  many  of  my  letters  ;  my  words  look  like  Hebrew  without 
points.  I  do  not  recover  my  walking  at  all.  In  short,  I  ad- 
vance to  what  I  have  foretold,  that  I  should  have  nothing  but 
my  inside  left,  and  then  I  shall  be  but  an  odd  figure. 

Having  nothing  better  to  talk  of  than  my  ruins,  I  shall  not 
make  my  despatches  tedious ;  it  will  be  trouble  enough  merely 
to  read  them.  Adieu. 

Strawberryhill,  July  29, 1796. 

It  is  almost  ridiculous  for  me  to  attempt  to  write  with  my 
own  hand ;  my  fingers  are  so  maimed  they  stumble  at  every 
long  word ;  my  attention  dozes,  and  I  have  no  more  imagination 
left  than  if  I  were  forcing  myself  to  write  a  new  novel  in  five 
volumes.  In  short,  my  decay  is  so  sensible  to  me,  that  I  will 
not  deceive  myself,  nor  expect  any  further  recovery — no  change 
will  turn  quite  round ;  I  must  only  take  care  not  to  let  it 
expose  me. 

Agnes  will  give  you  Lady  Charlotte's  intelligence  from 
Brighthelm.  Our  villages  furnish  us  with  nothing  but  a  recon- 
ciliation which  I  conclude  will  not  be  much  longer-lived  than 
the  Royal  one — it  is  between  Hardinge  and  his  wife :  the 
separation  failed  for  want  of  a  wherewithal  for  a  separate 
maintenance. 

Mr.  Joseph  Banks  has  carried  Lysonsto  Kew  with  drawings  of 
all  his  discoveries  at  Woodchester.  They  made  great  impres- 


1736]     LOKD  ORFORD'S  SYMPATHY  WITH  HIS  FRIENDS.        13 

sion,  and  he  is  to  send  patterns  of  the  mosaics  for  the  Queen 
and  Princesses  to  work. 

Tuesday,  Aug.  2. 

The  post  is  going  out,  and  none  is  come  in,  which  is  a  great 
disappointment ;  and  besides,  writing  in  a  hurry,  my  hand  shakes, 
and  I  am  forced  to  call  for  Kirgate.  I  hoped  to  hear  of  all  at 
Goodwood,  and  flattered  myself  that  I  should  have  better 
accounts  both  of  you  and  my  dear  Duchess — now  I  am  in  perfect 
ignorance  of  everything.  Your  sister  goes  to  music  at  Udney's 
this  evening.  I  shall  be  jealous  if  she  has  had  a  letter  when  I 
have  not,  and  yet  I  wish  she  may  have  had,  that  I  may  be  sure 
no  disorder  or  accident  prevented  your  writing  to  me  as  you  had 
promised.  I  will  keep  my  letter  a  few  minutes  longer,  thq'  it 
will  be  barely  in  time. 

Strawb.-hill,  Aug.  5, 1796. 

As  I  am  not  much  in  your  debt  for  letters,  I  shall  not  com- 
plain that  I  have  nothing  to  send  you  in  return.  I  do  this 
moment  receive  one  from  Goodwood,  which  I  am  not  surprised 
at  your  not  admiring.  The  park  at  Halnaker  is  pretty,  but  the 
old  part  of  the  house  was,  even  in  my  eyes,  deplorable,  and 
scarce  preferable  even  to  the  vile  modern  part. 

I  am  grieved  that  you  can  give  me  no  better  an  account  of 
my  dearest  Duchess ;  still,  tho'  slow  (and  slow  indeed  it  is  to 
me  who  have  it  so  very  much  at  heart),  I  am  confident  she  will 
recover,  tho'  I  may  not  be  so  happy  as  to  see  it. 

Yes,  I  will  certainly  encourage  any  plan  that  may  be  of 
service  to  yr  sister.  I  am  not  indifferent  to  the  very  few 
persons  on  whose  affection  I  depend. 

I  do  not  know  a  tittle  that  is  worth  calling  for  Kirgate  to « 
write  for  me,  and  as  the  day  is  very  fine,  I  am  going  to  be 
carried  down  to  sit  in  the  garden.     My  pen,  you  see,  can  walk 
a  little  better — that  is  all  I  can  boast  of.     Yr  bathing,  I  hope, 
will  be  more  prosperous.     Adieu ! 

Strawberry-hill,  Aug.  9,  1796. 

I  have  just  received  such  a  long  letter  from  you  of  the  6th 
that  if  I  attempted  to  answer  it  with  my  own  hand  I  should  be 


14  LETTERS.  [1796 

two  days  engraving  it.  Besides,  tho'  I  like  to  hear  so  much 
from  you,  I  am  very  averse  to  your  writing  much,  especially 
when  you  are  bathing,  which  I  am  delighted  to  hear  is  of  service 
to  you.  I  like  your  drawing  too,  tho'  not  just  now,  as  it  adds 
to  your  being  sedentary.  I  have  another  strong  reason  against 
your  writing  more  than  short  notes  to  me ;  it  would  curtail  your 
frequent  letters  to  poor  dear  Agnes,  which  make  her  so  very 
happy. 

I  will  reply  as  briefly  as  I  can  to  some  other  points  of  your 
letter.  I  am  grieved  that  my  dear  Duchess  has  any  additional 
pains. 

When  I  saw  Halnaker  House  there  was  a  new  red-brick 
apartment  that  had  been  run  up  by  the  last  Earl  of  Derby  that 
possessed  it,  but  I  suppose  the  D.  of  E.  has  pulled  it  down. 

I  am  glad  you  have  no  worse  new  neighbours  than  the 
Pepys's,  tho',  as  you  and  your  companion  are  both  so  erudite, 
I  shall  not  wonder  if  he  brings  some  of  his  clan  to  educate 
under  your  eyes. 

You  may  be  assured  that  Lady  I.  does  not  go  to  Brighton, 
nor  any  of  the  connection,  or  disconnection.  Mrs.  Lisle  is 
commissioned  to  search  for  a  villa  for  her  mistress,  which  she 
has  not  yet  found.  The  Countess  drives  about  in  a  plain  coach 
without  arms.  The  Pss.  told  the  P.  she  could  not  let  Mrs.  P. 
wait  any  more,  but  might  keep  her  salary ;  he  replied  that  was 
impossible ;  and  it  is  said  Miss  Colman,  the  late  Maid  of  Honour, 
is  to  succeed  as  Bedchamber- Woman.  The  bon-mot  in  the 
'Times  '  was  certainly  not  mine,  but  perhaps  was  borrowed  from 
a  very  ancient  one :  when  Lord  Cowper  got  himself  made  a 
titular  prince  of  the  empire,  he  wrote  to  England  to  know  what 
place  he  was  to  take ;  I  said  I  could  tell  him  exactly — between 
Prince  Boothby  and  Count  Ellis. 

I  have  little  faith  in  an  invasion  at  present ;  the  unparalleled 
spirit,  activity,  and  cleverness  of  our  seamen  will  not  tempt  the 
French  sailors  much  to  embark  ;  they  may  attempt  to  run  in  a 
few  vessels  here  and  there  into  open  coasts  of  the  three  king- 
doms, and  they  do  give  out  that  they  will  try  one  more  campaign 
against  us,  corps  a  corps. 

Have  you  heard  of  single-speech  Hamilton's  mad  will  ?  He 
bequeathed  the  landed  estate  to  Lord  Egremont,  and  ten  thou- 
sand pounds  to 'the  young  Lady  Spencer,  and  then  said  he  was 


1796]  DISPERSION   OF   LORD   ORFORD'S   FRIENDS.  15 

very  sorry  that  both  land  and  money  had  been  entailed  by  his 
father,  and  that  he  only  made  the  bequest  to  show  his  kind  dis- 
position towards  them. 

The  Duchess  of  Devonshire  has  been  in  great  danger  of  losing 
her  sight,  by  catching  cold  very  indiscreetly.  They  have  saved 
her  eyes  by  almost  strangling  her  with  a  handkerchief,  and 
forcing  all  the  blood  up  into  her  head,  and  then  bleeding  her 
with  leeches.  This  is  all  I  have  to  tell  you  but  a  few  words  on 
myself.  I  take  the  air  every  morning  in  my  coach,  and  sit  an 
hour  out  upon  the  lawn,  and  crawl  a  little  about  between  two 
servants,  and  do  think  I  have  gained  a  grain  of  strength  ;  nay, 
last  night  I  took  courage  and  was  carried  up  into  Lady  Mendip's 
room,  and  even  played  two  rubbers  at  cribbage.  I  found  nobody 
there  but  the  tribe  of  Agar  (for  I  had  informed  myself)  and  Mr. 
Williams,  and  the  General  and  Lady  Cecilia.  Most  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood is  dispersed;  the  House  of  Orange  (which  is  nothing 
to  me)  are  gone  to  Nuneham,  Oxford,  and  Blenheim  ;  the  Mur- 
rays  to  make  a  visit  somewhere  for  a  fortnight ;  the  Mackinzys 
to  Brighton ;  and  the  Darrells  to  Cheltenham,  as  usual.  Lady 
Mount  brought  Madame  de  Cambis  here  t'other  morning ;  the 
young  Mounts  are  upon  their  mountain.  Dixi. 

The  letters  of  August  16th  and  24th,  already  pub- 
lished, complete  those  addressed  to  the  Miss  Berrys 
during  this  journey.  The  next  which  has  been  pre- 
served is  in  December,  without  date  of  day,  written  in 
Kirgate's  hand,  and  addressed  to  Miss  Berry  at  Cliveden 
(Little  Strawberry  Hill). 

Berkeley  Square,  Wednesday  morning,  Dec.  1796. 

Tho'  I  thank  you  for  letting  me  hear  so  often,  your  last 
night's  letter  by'the  penny  post  was  most  uncomfortable.  You 
had  not  grown  better,  as  I  hoped  and  expected.  The  weather  is 
grown  so  much  softer  to-day  that  I  trust  you  will  recover  faster, 
but  pray  take  notice  and  remember  that  you  are  too  delicate  to 
run  any  risks.  My  horses  shall  certainly  be  wirh  you  on  Friday 
night.  I  have  seen  nobody  yet  to-day.  Last  night  I  had  Mrs. 
D.  and  my  sister,  and  Gr.  Nicol,  and  Cosway,  whose  glibity  was 


16  LETTERS.  [1796 

very  entertaining.  He  told  us  that  the  late  Duke  of  Orleans 
had  told  him  that  his  object  was  to  make  his  son,  the  Duke  de 
Chartres,  king ;  and  he  said  that  Monsieur  de  Vergennes,  the 
day  after  signing  the  commercial  treaty  with  us,  had  said  to 
him  (still  to  him,  Cosway)  that  he  (Vergennes)  must  have  been 
drunk  when  he  signed  a  treaty  so  favourable  to  England — such 
blabs  were  the  French  ! 

My  kin  have  at  last  had  a  letter  from  their  son,  George 
Churchill,  in  Jamaica,  who  is  perfectly  well,  and  who  even  does 
not  mention  having  been  otherwise,  whence  they  conclude  some 
previous  letter  must  have  miscarried.  Adieu,  unless  I  hear 
anything  before  the  post  goes  out. 

This  last,  dated  December  15th,  and  already  published, 
closes  the  correspondence  with  Miss  Berry.  It  begins  : — 

[I  had  no  account  of  you  at  all  yesterday  but  in  Mrs.  Darner's 
letter ;  nor  have  I  had  any  before  post  to-day  as  you  promised 
me  in  hers.  I  had  indeed  a  humorous  letter  from  a  puss  *  that 
is,  about  your  house  which  is  more  comfortable,  as  I  think  she 
would  not  have  written  cheerfully  if  you  had  not  been  in  a 
good  way.  I  would  answer  it,  but  I  am  grown  a  dull  old 
Tabby,  and  have  no  '  quips,  and  cranks,  and  wanton  wiles '  left] 

An  extract  of  a  letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  an  intimate 
friend,  shows  the  state  of  her  mind  at  the  close  of  this 
sad  year. 

Dec.  1796. 

You  will,  I  know,  wish  me  to  say  something  of  myself.  It 
shall  be  little,  for  who  can  talk  of  suffering  to  you,  or  dwell 
upon  disappointments  when  they  think  of  yours?  After  a 
twelvemonth  passed  in  the  most  painful,  agitating,  and  un- 
avoidable suspense,  I  find  myself  not  only  totally  disappointed 
in  a  plan  of  happiness,  founded  on  the  most  moderate  desires, 
and  pursued  by  the  most  rational  means,  but  obliged  to  change 

*  This  was  written  by  Miss  Seton  in  the  name  of  a  kitten  at  Little 
Strawberry  Hill,  with  whose  gambols  Lord  Orford  had  been  much  amused. 

M.B. 


1796]    MISS  BERRY'S  DEFENCE  OF  GENERAL  O'HARA.       17 

my  opinion  of  one  of  the  characters  in  the  world  of  which  I 
had  ever  thought  the  highest,  and  in  whose  honour,  truth,  and 
affection  I  had  ever  had  the  most  entire  confidence  and  the 
sincerest  satisfaction  long  before  I  considered  him  in  any  other 
light  than  that  of  a  friend.  I  shall  not  dwell  on  the  effect 
which  you  will  easily  guess  all  this  must  have  had  on  a  heart 
as  warm  and  as  little  generally  confiding  as  mine,  but  a  heart 
which  when  once  it  trusts,  trusts  so  implicitly.  My  consola- 
tions have  been  in  the  increased  and  touching  affection  of  my 
sister,  the  kind,  rational,  and  unremitting  attentions  of  Mrs. 
Darner,  and  the  reflection  that  there  is  no  part  of  my  conduct 
that  I  could  for  a  moment  have  wished  otherwise.  These 
have  succeeded  in  restoring  me  to  the  power  of  employing 
myself  and  my  spirits  to  near  their  usual  level. 

It  appears  that  some  of  Miss  Berry's  friends  sought  to 
alleviate  her  distress,  and  lessen  her  regrets  at  the  unfor- 
tunate termination  of  her  engagement,  by  endeavouring 
to  blame  and  depreciate  the  object  of  her  affections ;  but, 
with  her,  disappointment  did  not  find  comfort  in  resent- 
ment, and  she  generously  defended  from  censure  or  de- 
traction the  conduct  and  character  of  one  who  had  been 
to  her  the  cause  of  bitter  suffering. 

Extract  of  a  letter  to  a  friend  : — 

....  Mrs.  L.,  you  say,  *  observes  that  my  affections  have 
been  more  deeply  engaged  than  I  was  aware  of,'  and  Mrs.  D. 
'  has  repeatedly  intimated  the  same  '  to  you.  Needed  you  any 
intimation  that  my  affections  must  have  been  deeply  engaged 
before  I  resolved,  or  even  thought  of  marrying  ?  Had  I  ever 
chosen  to  think  of  making  what  is  called  a  prudent  marriage, 
did  you  suppose,  that  I,  in  common  with  all  my  sex,  might  not 
have  done  it?  Or  could  you  suppose  this  a  prudent  mar- 
riage? Did  my  silence  on  this  subject  deceive  you?  and  did 
you  really  believe  me  capable  of  the  platitude  of  talking  in 
raptures,  or  enlarging  on  the  character  and  perfections  of  the 
man  whom  I  considered  as  my  husband  ?  Now  that  he  no 
longer  stands  in  that  position,  it  is  not  my  having  reason  to 
complain  of  him  that  shall  prevent  my  doing  him  justice.  I 
know  not  where  you  have  taken  your  reports  of  his  character 
VOL.  II.  C 


18  LETTEKS.  [179G 

but  I  know  that  a  character  '  universally  highly  thought  of,' 
is  the  last  I  should  choose  for  any  intimate  connection,  for 
(except  in  early  youth)  nothing  but  mediocrity  can  possibly 
attain  it.  I  have  heard  0.  H.  called  too  exigeant  and  wor- 
retting  by  idle  officers  under  his  command,  and  too  bold  by 
the  ministerial  people  here,  after  the  failure  at  Toulon;  but 
in  my  life  I  never  heard  an  allegation  against  either  his 
heart  or  his  understanding,  and  if  I  had,  I  should  not  have 
believed  it,  because  in  a  long  acquaintance  I  have  myself  known 
and  seen  repeated  proofs  of  the  excellence  of  both.  Instead 
of  not  knowing  '  any  real  virtues  he  possesses,'  until  this  un- 
fortunate affair,  in  which  I  am  still  convinced  his  head  and 
not  his  heart  is  to  blame,  I  know  nobody  whose  character 
united  so  many  manly  virtues.  It  was  this,  joined  to  a  know- 
ledge of  his  conduct  in  all  the  relations  of  life  in  which  he 
then  stood,  that  entitled  him  to  the  '  approbation  and  love 
of  such  a  heart '  as  mine,  and  I  felt  and  know  he  decidedly 
*  suited  me  as  a  friend,'  because  to  an  excellent  understanding, 
great  natural  quickness,  and  much  knowledge  of  the  world,  he 
joined  an  affectionate  tenderness  of  heart  which  had  always  in- 
spired me  with  a  degree  of  confidence  and  intimacy,  you  have 
often  heard  me  say  I  hardly  ever  felt  with  any  other  per- 
son. ...  I  still  believe  that  had  this  separation  never  taken 
place,  I  should  never  have  had  to  complain  of  him,  nor  he  to 
doubt  me. 


1797]  DEATH   OF   LORD   ORFORD.  19 


1797. 

'  I  GO  to  Lady  Spencer's  at  St.  Albans,  and  to  Brooke 
Hall  to  meet  Mrs.  D.  and  Mr.  Whitbread.  Lord  Orford 
dies.  See  much  of  the  Starembergs.'* 

The  principal  event  of  the  year  was  the  death  of  Lord 
Orford;  and  the  account  of  his  declining  health  and 
reason  is  thus  given  by  Miss  Berryf  : — 

Very  soon  after  the  date  of  this  letter  (Dec.  15),  the  gout, 
the  attacks  of  which  were  every  day  becoming  more  frequent 
and  longer,  made  those  with  whom  Lord  Orford  had  been 
living  at  Strawberry  Hill  very  anxious  that  he  should  return  to 
Berkeley  Square,  to  be  nearer  assistance  in  case  of  any  sudden 
seizure.  As  his  correspondents,  soon  after  his  removal,  were 
likewise  established  in  London,  no  more  letters  passed  between 
them.  When  not  immediately  suffering  from  pain,  his  mind 
was  tranquil  and  cheerful.  He  was  still  capable  of  being 
amused,  and  of  taking  some  part  in  conversation ;  but  during 
the  last  weeks  of  his  life,  when  fever  was  superadded  to  his  other 
ills,  his  mind  became  subject  to  the  cruel  hallucination  of  sup- 
posing himself  neglected  and  abandoned  by  the  only  persons  to 
whom  his  memory  clung,  and  whom  he  always  desired  to  see. 
In  vain  they  recalled  to  his  recollection  how  recently  they  had 
left  him,  and  how  short  had  been  their  absence ;  it  satisfied 
him  for  the  moment,  but  the  same  idea  recurred  as  soon  as  he 
had  lost  sight  of  them.  At  last  nature,  sinking  under  the 
exhaustion  of  weakness,  obliterated  all  ideas  but  those  of  mere 
existence,  which  ended  without  a  struggle,  on  the  2nd  of  March, 
1797.— M.  B. 

*  Austrian  Ambassador  for  some  years  in  England. 

t  Vide  the  note  accompanying  that  portion  of  Lord  Orford's  Correspon- 
dence which  was  first  published  in  the  year  1840. 

c  2 


20      WAS   LORD   ORFORD   A   LOVER   OF  MISS   BERRY?        [1797 

A  sad  picture  of  that  decay  of  body  and  extinction  of 
mind  which  forestalled  the  cessation  of  life  itself,  and 
diminished  the  pang  of  final  separation ;  but  it  must 
always  have  been  a  touching  and  gratifying  recollection, 
for  those  to  whom  Lord  Orford  looked  for  the  happiness 
of  his  latter  years,  that,  whilst  his  feverish  fears  pointed 
to  their  absence  as  his  greatest  ill,  they  were  ever  at  hand 
to  soothe  his  apprehensions  by  their  presence,  and  to 
smooth  the  pillow  of  their  dying  friend. 

It  has  been  often  a  matter  of  speculation  whether  Lord 
Orford's  great  attachment  to  Miss  Berry  had  ever  led  to 
any  explicit  declaration  of  a  wish  to  obtain  her  consent  to 
their  union  in  marriage.  Notwithstanding  the  frequent 
professions  of  equal  attachment  to  both  sisters,  it  is  easy  to 
see  throughout  the  correspondence  that  Miss  Berry  herself 
was  his  first  object.  The  dread  of  being  thought  ridicu- 
lous by  playing  the  part  of  a  more  than  septuagenarian 
lover,  no  doubt  acted  as  a  constant  check  upon  the 
indulgence  of  such  hopes  as  he  might  have  reasonably 
entertained  as  a  younger  man ;  and  so  entirely  dependent 
was  he  on  the  society  of  Miss  Berry  and  her  sister  for 
what  remained  to  him  of  pleasure  in  life,  that  even  if 
impelled  by  the  wish  to  secure  to  himself  the  absolute 
right  to  her  companionship  and  attentions  as  a  wife,  he 
probably  feared  to  lose  her  friendship  by  proffering  the 
hand  she  might  not  accept ;  yet,  it  was  admitted  by  those 
best  entitled  to  know,  that  at  one  time  Miss  Berry  was 
conscious  that  the  choice  was  within  her  power ;  but  she 
clung  to  his  friendship  too  warmly  and  too  sincerely,  not 
to  sedulously  guard  him  from  the  expression  of  any  feel- 
ing she  could  not  fully  return.  She  accepted  his  friendly 
affection  without  reserve.  He  was  spared  the  mortifica- 
tion of  ever  learning  from  her  lips  that  more  he  could 
never  expect.  The  letter  of  the  15th  December  was, 
according  to  Miss  Berry's  account,  the  last  received  by 
her,  or  her  sister,  from  Lord  Orford.  It  was  the  close 


1797]  .  LORD   ORFORD'S   WILL.  21 

of  that  tender  and  voluminous  correspondence,  which, 
during  the  space  of  nine  years,  evinced  a  warmth  of  heart, 
a  never-failing  playfulness  of  thought,  and  refinement  of 
wit,  not  only  well  worthy  of  the  fame  of  the  '  Prince  of 
Letter  Writers,'  but  leaving  on  the  mind  of  the  reader  a 
still  stronger  impression  of  the  genial  affection  and  consi- 
derate kindness  which  marked  the  declining  years  of  Lord 
Orford,  and  saved  him  from  the  chilling  influence  of  in- 
creasing age,  painful  infirmities,  and  domestic  loneli- 
ness. 

By  Lord  Orford's  will,*  Little  Strawberry  Hill  was  left 
to  the  Miss  Berrys,  and  in  a  codicil,  a  box,  marked  0, 
containing  MSS.,  was  left  to  Mr.  Berry  and  his  daughters, 
with  directions  that  Mr.  Berry  should  undertake  the  care 
of  a  new  edition  of  his  works,  with  the  addition  of  all  the 
papers  contained  in  that  box.  Miss  Berry  acknowledges, 
in  a  letter  addressed  to  a  friend  at  this  time,  that  in  mak- 
ing her  father  his  editor  and  Mrs.  Darner  his  executrix, 
'  Lord  Orford  caused  his  papers  being  secured  to  her  eye 
and  mine,  and  made  me  his  editor  without  the  necessary 
publicity  attached  to  the  name.'  Miss  Berry  describes 
herself  in  the  same  letter  as  labouring  with  incessant  per- 
severance for  nearly  a  twelvemonth ;  as  neglecting  all  her 
own  pursuits ;  never  looking  in  a  book  but  that  was  con- 
ducive in  some  degree  to  the  work  she  had  in  hand ; 
reading  and  rereading  with  perfect  integrity  of  intention, 
both  with  respect  to  the  author  and  the  public ;  and  she 
adds  that  she  is  making  all  that  part  of  the  publication 
which  depends  on  her  selection  as  worthy  of  it  as  possible. 
It  may  be  fairly  presumed  from  this  account  that  on 
Miss  Berry  devolved  the  chief  labours  of  the  editorial 


*  Will  of  Horatio  Wallpole,  Lord  Orford,  proved  1797.  Messuage  and 
outhouses,  late  in  the  occupation  of  Mrs.  C.  Olive,  left  to  Mary  and  Agnes, 
daughters  of  Robert  Berry  of  North  Audley  Street. 

In  second  codicil : — Box  marked  O,  containing  Manuscripts,  left  to  Robert, 
Mary,  and  Agnes  Berry — to  be  divided  f  share  and  share  alike.' 


22  MISS  BERRY'S  MEMORANDA.  [1797 

duties  bequeathed  to  her  father.  The  edition  published 
with  the  name  of  Mr.  Berry  was  given  to  the  public  in 
•the  year  1790. 

The  following  memorandum  was  written  at  a  time  of 
great  depression  as  to  the  prospects  of  her  own  country,  but 
with  Miss  Berry's  usual  wish  to  bear  some  part  in  pro- 
moting the  welfare,  or  extending  the  knowledge  of  her 
fellow-creatures ;  it  was  probably  the  germ  of  that  excellent 
work  '  A  Comparative  View  of  Social  Life  in  England  and 
France,'  which  appeared  many  years  afterwards,  and  was 
the  fruit  no  less  of  study  than  of  personal  experience  and 
personal  observation. 

May  7,  1797. 

I  am  resolved  for  the  future  to  make  memoranda  of  the 
remarkable  circumstances  and  characters  that  pass  either  im- 
mediately under  my  own  eyes  and  knowledge,  or  that  I  can 
learn  from  such  undoubted  authority,  and  such  accurate  ob- 
servers, as  may  satisfy  even  the  steady  search  and  unquenchable 
desire  of  truth  which  has  ever  existed  in  my  mind.  It  is  my 
unfortunate  lot  to  pass  the  most  reasonable  years  of  human 
life — I  mean  from  thirty  upwards — in  times  of  universal  fer- 
mentation ;  when  the  minds  of  men  all  over  Europe  are  under- 
going some  great  change,  and  when  some  new  system  of  social 
order  is  struggling  into  existence  opposed  by  all  the  obstinate 
rancour  of  prejudice,  and  encouraged  by  all  the  heedless  enthu- 
siasm of  novelty. 

My  own  country  tottering  on  its  basis,  with  every  means  of 
self-correction  and  principle  of  renovation  within  itself,  in  little 
more  than  a  hundred  years  after  its  complete  establishment, 
seems  to  the  thoughtful  mind  but  a  new  assurance  of  the  im- 
possibility of  permanence  to  any  institution  of  man.  In  such 
times  and  such  circumstances,  my  sex  and  situation  condemning 
me  to  perfect  insignificance,  and  precluding  all  possibility  of 
my  ever  taking  an  active  part,  and  then,  like  others,  being 
misled  and  blinded  by  the  part  I  have  taken,  perhaps  I  am  but 
the  more  fit  to  record  what  I  see.  A  very  small  fraction  of  the 
great  and  awful  scene  may  fall  under  my  cognizance ;  but  how- 


1735]  PARODY   OX   ADDISOX'S   'TRAVELS.'  23 

ever  minute  the  features  that  I  may  attempt  to  seize,  they  will 
neither  be  uninteresting  nor  useless  to  those  inspired  with  the 
same  accurate  love  of  truth  and  candid  investigation  of  human 
nature  with  myself. 


Letters  of  H.  Walpole  not  yet  published. 

A  certain  number  of  Lord  Orford's  unpublished  works 
have  remained  till  now  amongst  Miss  Berry's  papers. 
The  interest  attached  to  all  that  fell  from  his  pen  has 
much  increased,  as  fresh  publications  and  new  editions  of 
his  letters  have  made  his  readers  better  acquainted  with 
his  peculiar  vein  of  thought  and  humour.  They  are 
now  therefore  given  to  the  public ;  and  the  close  of  the 
year  in  which  Lord  Orford  died  seems  the  fittest  place  to 
which  to  assign  these  last  gatherings  of  his  miscellaneous 
productions. 

To  Mr.  Gray. 

From  Cambridge,  1735. 
In  the  Style  of  Addison's  Travels. 

DEAR  SIB, — I  believe  you  saw  in  the  newspapers  that  I  was 
going  to  make  the  tour  of  Italy ;  I  shall  therefore  give  you 
some  account  of  the  places  I  have  seen,  which  are  not  to  be 
found  in  Mr.  Addison,  whose  method  I  shall  follow.  On  9th  of 
Octr,  1735,  we  set  out  from  Lodone1  (the  Lugdunum  of  the  An- 
cients),  the  capital  city  of  Lombardy,  in  a  chariot-and-four. 
About  1 1  o'clock,  we  arrived  at  a  place  the  Italians  call  Tem- 
pialbulo.2  Virgil  seems  to  have  prophesied  of  this  town  when  2  White- 
he  says — 

Amisit  venem  vetua  Albula  nomen. 

By  Time  the  founder's  great  design  was  crost, 

And  Albula  its  genuine  title  lost. 

5  Statue  of 

Here  are  no  remains  of  Roman  antiquity,  but  a  statue  of  Marc  K-  w»Uiam 
Aurelius,3  which  the  Lombards  call  Guglielmo  Terzo,  one  of  cutter's"6" 
their  kings,  and  some  learned  men,4  St.  George  and  the  Dragon,  jjf^rrav' 
It  is  an  equestrian  statue,  and  almost  equal  to  that  of  Charle-  p-  26. 
magne,  at  the  Great  Cross,5  at  Lodone.     The  church  is  an  old  K.  Charles 

at  Charing 
Cross. 


24 


LETTERS   OF   H.    WALPOLE. 


[1735 


Gothic  building,  and  reckoned  the  most  ancient  in  Italy.     Here 
was  some  time  ago  an  altar-piece  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  which 
1  Dr.  \\bite  the  painter  having  quarrelled  with  the  Abbot1  of  this  church, 
B^bop1  of     represented  him  like  Judas,  with  this  epigram : — 

Peter- 
borough. Fallens,  hac  qui  te  pingi  sub  imagine  credis, 

Non  similis  Judas  est  tibi — pcenituit. 

Think  not,  vain  man,  thou  here  art  represented, 
Thou  art  not  like  to  Judas — he  repented. 

From  thence  we  made  the  best  of  our  way  to  a  town,  which  in 
English  we  should  call  Stony- Stratford,  and  corresponds  with 
the  description  which  Virgil  has  given  of  it — 

— vivo  praeter  vebor  Ostia  Saxo 
Stratfordi,  Megarosque  sinus,  Tapsumque  jacentem. 

Those  that  follow  are  little  dirty  towns,  that  seem  to  have  been 
built  only  to  be  '  knocked ' 2  on  the  bead,  like 


2  Expres- 
sion ot  Ad- 
dison  on 
this  line. 

3  Bow. 


*  Epping. 


Antitheum,  Glaucumque,  Medontaque,  Thersilochumque. 

The  next  town  of  note  is  Arc,3  so  called  from  its  being  built 
in  the  shape  of  a  bow — ab  Eoo  curvatur  in  Arcum.  From  Arc 
we  travelled  thro'  a  very  pleasant  country  to  Epino,4  whose 
forest  is  celebrated  by  Virgil  in  these  lines : — 

Sylva  Epini  late  dumis,  atque  ilice  nigra 
Horrida,  quam  densi  complerant  undique  sentes ; 
Kara  per  occultos  ducebat  semita  calles. 

Epinum's  woods  with  shrubs  and  gloomy  oak 

Horrid,  and  all  with  brambles  thick  o'ergrown, 

Thro'  which  few  narrow  paths  obscurely  led. — Mr.  Trap. 

We  were  here  shown,  at  a  distance,  the  thickets  rendered  so 
5  Gregory,  famous  by  the  robberies  of  Grregorio.5  Here  I  was  met  by  a  very 
highway-  distant  and  troublesome  relation.  My  namesake  hints  at  such 
man.  See  an  one  m  those  lines  of  his — 

Ad.  Trav., 

Accurrit  quidam  notus  mihi  nomine  tantum, 
Arreptaque  manu,  Quid  agis,  Cosinissime,  rerum  ? — HOT. 

There  step'd  up  one  to  me  I  hardly  knew, 

Embrac'd  me,  and  cried,  Cousin,  how  d'ye  do. — Mr.  Creech. 

eflockerei.    We  lay  that  night  at  Oggerell,6  which  is  famous  for  nothing 
but  being  Horace's  Oppidulo,  quod  versu  dicere  non  est. 


1735]  PARODY   OX   ADDISON'S   '  TRAVELS.'  25 

In  our  way  to  Parvulun,1  we  saw  a  great  castle,2  belonging  l  Little- 
to  the  Counts  of  Suffolcia  ;  it  is  a  vast  pile  of  building,  but  quite 


in  the  old  taste.  Parvulun  is  a  small  village,  but  formerly  inn,  the 
remarkable  for  several  miracles  3  said  to  be  performed  there  by  £ari  Of 
a  Welsh  saint,  who,  like  Jupiter,  was  suckled  by  a  goat,  whence  Suffolk- 

3  \Vinstan- 

they    think    it    Porrum   et   Cepe   nefas   violare.  —  Juv.      The  ]ey's  Won- 
wonders  of  Parvulun  are  in  great  repute  all  over  Lombardy.  ^icksln 
We  had  very  bad  ways  from  hence  to  Pont  Ossoria,4  where  are  Mechanics. 
the  ruins  of  a  bridge  that  gives  name  to  the  town.    The  account 
they  gave  of  it  is  as  follows  :  —  St.  Bona  being  desirous  to  pass 
over  the  river,  met  with  a  man  who  offered  to  carry  her  over  ; 
he  took  her  up  in  his  arms,  and  under  pretence  of  doing  her 
service,  was  going  to  ravish  her  ;  but  she  praying  to  the  Virgin 
Mary  for  help,  the  wretch  fell  into  the  stream  and  was  drowned, 
and  immediately  this  bridge  rose  out  of  the  water  for  her  to  go 
over.     She  was  so  touched  by  this  signal  deliverance,  that  she 
would  not  leave  the  place,  but  continued  there  till  her  death  in 
exercises  of  devotion,  and  was  buried  in  a  little  chapel  at  the 
foot  of  the  bridge,  with  her  story  at  length  and  this  epitaph  — 

Hac  sita  sunt  fossa  Bonae  venerabilis  ossa  !  5  *  Epitaph 

of  Venera- 

From  Pont  Ossoria  we  travelled  by  land  to  Nuovo  Foro  6  (the  6  ^e^mear. 

Novum  Forum  of  lockius),  where  are  held  the  greatest  races  in  ket. 

all  Italy.     We  were  shown  in  the  treasury  of  the  Benedictines' 

Convent,  an  ancient  gold  cup  which  cost  an  hundred  guineas 

(a  great  sum  in  those  days),  and  given,  as  the  friar  told  us  that 

attended  us,  by  a  certain  German  Prince,  he  did  not  very  well 

know  who,  but  he  believed  his  name  was  one  King  George.7  7  see  p.  78. 

The  inhabitants  are  wonderfully  fond  of  horses,  and  to  this  day 

tell  you  most  surprising  stories  of  one  Looby,  a  Boltognian.     I 

saw  a  book  dedicated  to  the  head  of  that  family,  intituled  '  A 

Discourse  on  the  Magnanimity  of  Bucephalus,  and  of  the  Duke 

of  Boltogne's  Horse  Looby.'  8  J^  JJ  Pol30- 

I  staid  here  three  days,  and  in  my  way  to  Pavia  9  stopped  at  ton. 
the  Palace  of  Delfini,10  which  is  built  on  the  top  of  a  large  °b^™~ 
barren  mountain,  and  at  a  distance  looks  like  the  Ark  resting  ™  LordGo- 
on  Mount  Ararat.     This  mountain  is  called  Gog,  and  opposite  hous^on 
to  one  called  Magog.     They  are  very  dangerous  precipices,  and  Gogmagog 
occasioned  the  famous  verse-  —  u  «incj(jjt 

in  Scylla 

Incidit  in  Gogum  qui  vult  vitare  Magogon.11  qui  vult 

vitare 
Charibd.n.' 


26  LETTERS   OF   H.    WALPOLE.  [1735 

I  need  not  repeat  the  history  of  Grog  and  Magog,  it  being  known 
to  every  child,  and  to  be  found  at  large  in  most  books  of 
travels. 

Pavia  and  its  University  are  described  by  Mr.  Addison,  so  I 
shall  only  mention  a  circumstance  which  I  wonder  escaped  that 
learned  gentleman.  It  is  the  name  of  the  town,  which  is  derived 
from  the  badness  of  the  streets :  Pavia  a  non  pavendo,  as 
Lucus  a  non  lucendo. 

Till  next  post,  adieu  ! 

Yours  ever, 

HORATITJS  ITALICUS. 


To  the  Hon.  Henry  (afterwards  Marshal)  Conway. 

London,  October  81,  1741. 

MY  DEAREST  HARRY, — You  have  made  me  infinitely  happy, 
but  infinitely  impatient  for  Monday  se'nnight.  I  have  wished  for 
you  more  particularly  this  week,  and  wanted  you  all  at  Sir 
Thomas  Eobinson's*  and  the  birthday.  You  have  already  had 
accounts,  I  suppose,  of  the  former  from  Lady  Caroline  and  Mr. 
Selwyn,  but  I  will  say  my  bit  about  it  too ;  I  told  Lady  Caroline 
I  would ;  besides,  I  made  a  list  of  most  of  the  people,  and  will 
tell  you  some  of  the  company,  which  was  all  extremely  good ; 
there  were  none  but  people  of  the  first  fashion,  except  Mr.  Kent, 
Mr.  Gibber,  Mr.  Irving,  and  the  Parsons'  family,  and  you  know 
all  these  have  an  alloy.  Kent  came  as  governess  to  Lady 
Charlotte  Boyle,f  Gibber  and  Irving  have  long  had  their  freedom 
given  them  of  this  end  of  the  town,  and  the  Parsons's  J  took  out 

*  In  Horace  Walpole's  letter  to  Sir  Horace  Mann,  dated  October  22, 1741, 
he  says : — '  The  whole  town  is  to  be  to-morrow  night  at  Sir  Thomas 
Robinson's  ball,  which  he  gives  to  a  little  girl  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond's. 
There  are  already  two  hundred  invited,  from  Miss  in  bib  and  apron  to  my 
Lord  Chancellor  (Hardwicke)  in  bib  and  mace.'  Lord  Dover  adds  a  note 
to  explain  that  Sir  Thomas  Robinson  was  not  the  diplomatist,  afterwards 
Lord  Grantham,  but  Sir  Thomas  Robinson  of  Rokeby  Park  in  Yorkshire, 
commonly  called  '  long  Sir  Thomas.'1 

t  Lady  Charlotte  Boyle,  second  daughter  of  Richard,  third  Earl  of 
Burlington,  married  William,  Marquis  of  Hartingdon. 

\  The  family  of  Alderman  Parsons,  a  Jacobite  brewer,  who  lived  much 
in  France,  and  had  been  taken  notice  of  by  the  King. 


1735]          ACCOUNT   OF   A   PARTY   AT  MR.  ROBINSON'S.  27 

theirs  at  Paris.  There  were  an  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
people,  yet  no  confusion ;  he  had  taken  off  all  the  doors  of  his 
house,  and,  in  short,  distributed  everybody  quite  to  their  well- 
being.  The  dancers  were  the  two  Lady  Lenox's*  (Lady  Emily 
queen  of  the  ball,  and  appeared  in  great  majesty  from  behind  a 
vast  bouquet),  Lady  Lucy  Manners,  Lady  Ancram,  f  Lady  Lucy 
Clinton,  Ladies  Harriot  and  Anne  Wentworth,  Sophia  and 
Charlotte  Farm  or,  and  Camilla  Bennet ;  Miss  Pelham  (Lord  ! 
how  ugly  she  is  !) ;  Misses  Walpole,  Leneve,  Churchill,  Parsons, 
Maccartny,  Pultney,  Mary  Townshend,  Newton,  and  Brown. 
The  men,  Lord  John  Sackville,  Lord  Ancram,  Holderness, 
Ashburnham,  Howard,  Hartington,  and  Castlehaven ;  Mr.  Cole- 
brook,  Poulett,  Churchill,  two  Townshends,  Parsons,  Vernon, 
Carteret,  Colonel  Maguire,  and  a  Sir  William  Boothby.  For 
the  rest  of  the  company  you  shall  see  the  list  when  you  come 
to  town.  Lord  and  Lady  Euston  and  Lady  Caroline  did  not 
dance.  A  supper  for  the  lady  dancers  was  served  at  twelve, 
their  partners  and  waiting  tables  with  other  supper  stood 
behind.  Oh !  I  danced  country  dances,  I  had  forgot  myself. 
The  ball  ended  at  four. 

Now  for  the  birthday.  There  were  loads  of  men,  not  many 
ladies,  nor  much  finery.  Lord  Fitzwilliams  and  myself  were 
the  only  two  very  fine ;  I  was  in  a  great  taking  about  my 
clothes,  they  came  from  Paris,  and  did  not  arrive  till  nine 
o'clock  of  the  birthday  morning.  I  was  obliged  to  send  one  of 
the  King's  messengers  for  them  and  Lord  Holderness's  suit  to 
Dover.  There  were  nineteen  suits  came  with  them.  Do  you 
know  I  was  in  such  a  fright  lest  they  should  get  into  the  news, 
and  took  up  the  Craftsman  with  fear  and  trembling.  There 
was  the  greatest  crowd  at  the  ball  I  ever  saw.  Lady  Euston 
danced  country  dances  with  the  Duke.  My  aunt  Horace  had 
adapted  her  gown  to  her  complexion,  and  chose  a  silk  all  broke 
out  in  pink  blotches.  The  Duke  of  Kingston,  Lord  Middlesex, 
and  Lady  Albemarle,  are  dreadfully  altered.  You  can't  think 
what  an  alteration  towards  old  I  find  among  my  acquaintance. 

Harry,  you  must  come  and  be  in  love  with  Lady  Sophia 

*  Lady  Caroline  and  Lady  Emily  Lennox ;  the  former  married,  1744, 
to  Henry  Fox,  first  Lord  Holland;  the  latter  married,  1746,  to  James, 
twentieth  Earl  of  Kildare. 

f  Lady  Ancram,  daughter  of  Robert,  third  Earl  of  Holderneas. 


28  LETTERS    OF   H.    WALPOLE.  [1741 

Farmer ;  all  the  world  is  or  should  be.  But  I  had  cried  her 
up  so  much  before  she  appeared  that  she  does  not  answer 
everybody's  expectation.  No  more  will  the  Opera  to-night,  for 
Amorevoli  is  ill  and  does  not  sing;  his  part  is  to  be  read. 
They  had  certainly  much  better  have  staid  till  Tuesday;  but 
for  fear  of  disappointing  people,  I  fear  they  will  disappoint 
them.  I  am  not  to  be  there,  for  Dodd  has  got  a  fever  with  the 
heat  of  the  ball  last  night,  so  I  shall  not  leave  him.  Indeed, 
my  dear  Harry,  I  will  not  scold  you  about  the  Opera,  but  I 
should  have  been  glad,  I  own,  that  you  were  not  in  the  direc- 
tion. I  doubt  much  of  the  success ;  and  even  should  it  succeed, 
gentlemen' — and  they  very  young  gentlemen — are  mighty  apt 
not  to  understand  economy  and  management.  Do  get  out  of 
it,  if  possible. 

Good  night !  I  have  nothing  more  to  tell  you  now,  but  I  shall 
have  a  quantity  to  say  to  you.  My  loves  to  all  your  family. 

Yours  ever, 

H.  W. 

To  the  Same. 

Strawberry  Hill,  Thursday,  Sept.  2. 

Not  being  in  town,  there  may  be  several  more  new  produc- 
tions, as  the  Grubbcea  frutex  blossoms  every  day,  but  I  send  you 
all  I  had  gathered  for  myself  while  I  was  there.  I  found  the 
pamphlet  much  in  vogue,  and  indeed  it  is  written  smartly.  My 
Lady  Townshend  sends  all  her  messages  on  the  backs  of  these 
political  cards,  the  only  good  one  of  which,  the  two  heads 
facing  one  another,  is  her  son  Greorge's.  Charles  met  D'Abreu 
t'other  day,  and  told  him  he  intended  to  make  a  great  many 
good  speeches  next  winter.  '  The  first,'  said  he,  '  shall  be  to 
address  the  King,  not  to  send  for  any  more  foreign  troops,  but 
to  send  for  some  foreign  Ministers.' 

Mr.  Fox  had  a  very  bad  sore  throat,  but  never  was  in  any 
danger.  You  have  heard,  I  suppose,  what  an  abominable  will 
Lord  Fitzwilliams  left ;  did  not  mention  his  wife  or  younger 
children  in  it,  but  leaves  all  to  his  eldest  son,  tho'  she  is  one  of 
the  most  deserving  women  in  the  world,  and  the  younger  son 
and  five  daughters  will  have  but  2,5001.  a-piece ! 

My  Lord  Chesterfield  is  relapsed :  he  sent  Lord  Bath  word 
lately  that  he  was  grown  very  lean  and  very  deaf;  the  other 


1764]  TO   HON.    H.    CONWAY.  29 

replied,  that  he  could  lend  him  some  fat,  and  should  be  very 
glad  at  any  time  to  lend  him  an  ear. 

I  shall  go  to  London  on  Monday,  and  if  I  find  anything  else 
new,  I  will  pack  it  up  with  a  flower  picture  for  Lady  Ailesbury, 
which  I  shall  leave  in  Warwick  Street,  with  orders  to  be  sent 
to  you.  Adieu  ! 

Yours  ever,  H.  W. 


To  the  Same. 
Strawberry  Hill,  Monday  night,  July  2, 1764. 

If  my  Lady  Ailesbury*  does  not  think  the  little  'bull'  as 
handsome  as  Jupiter  himself,  I  shall  resent  it.  He  is  accom- 
panied by  seven  bantams  for  the  Infantas,  f 

As  Lord  Frederick  and  Lord  John  are  gone  to  you  this 
evening,  I  can  tell  you  no  politics  but  what  they  know.  The 
Bedfords  are  certainly  jealous  of  some  negotiation  being  on 
foot  between  Lord  Bute  and  Pitt,  but  I  cannot  find  that  it  is 
with  any  reason,  tho'  I  do  not  desire  to  have  them  undeceived. 

Lord  Bath  has  been  dying,  but  is  out  of  danger,  and,  what  I 
like  more,  Legge  mends  again.  Your  brother  has  sent  me  the 
Duke  and  Duchess  of  Berwick,  and  what  upon  earth  to  do 
with  them  I  don't  know.  They  have  the  grace  to  call  them- 
selves Lirias  here,  yet  they  do  not  go  to  Court,  and  say  they 
are  only  come  to  see  their  relations.  He  looks  like  a  cook,  but 
does  not  seem  to  have  parts  enough  for  one.  He  had  never 
heard  that  his  great-grandmother  married  Mr.  Godfrey  ;  he  told 
me  to-day  that  she  called  herself  Churchill,  but  that  her  family 
name  was  Marlborough.  The  Duchess  of  Lina,  who  is  sister 
of  the  Due  of  Alva,J  is  a  rational  civil  being,  not  at  all  hand- 
some, but  easy  and  genteel.  They  have  more  debts  than  duke- 
doms, tho'  he  is  Duke  of  Veraguea,  too,  and  have  crowded  all 
their  rich  blood  into  la  rue  de  Suffolk  Street. 

They  talk  of  a  match  between  Lord  Middlesex  and  Lady 

*  Lady  Ailesbury,  daughter  of  John  Duke  of  Argyll,  widow  of  Charles 
Earl  of  Ailesbury  and  Bruce. 
f  Daughters  of  Lady  Ailesbury. 
j  Anne  Seymour  Conway,  afterwards  Mr?.  Darner. 


30  LETTERS   OF   H.   WALPOLE.  [1736 

Jane  Stuart  :*  in  the  meantime,  Mr.  Ellis  is  dying  for  her,  and 
Lord  Holland's  young  Macartney  f  very  desirous  of  living  by 
her. 

The  fashionable  diversion  in  town  is  a  conjuror.  We  had 
him  last  night  at  my  Lady  Harrington's.  His  tricks  are  ten 
times  more  dexterous  than  Sandwich's. 

There  was  last  night  at  Guerchy's  J  a  daughter  of  Lord 
Dillon,  §  just  corne  out  of  a  convent,  who  is  to  be  the  future 
Duchess  of  Norfolk.  She  has  a  fine  person,  and  not  at  all  a 
disagreeable  face. 

The  Mecklenburgh  Countess  was  there  too,  ten  times  more 
dirty,  frowzy,  extravagant  and  mad  than  ever.  Prince  William 
has  said,  '  This  is  the  worst  sample  we  have  had  yet.'  I  begin 
to  think  he  will  not  command  the  army. 

My  Lord  Townshend  and  Charles  had  quarrelled  lately.  My 
Lady  made  a  reconciling  dinner  for  them,  and  all  was  made  up. 
As  soon  as  they  parted,  George  wrote  the  most  abusive  letter  in 
the  world  to  Charles,  and  they  are  rather  ill  together  again. 
Adieu ! 

Yours  ever,  J.  W. 


To  the  Dowager  Duchess  cPAiguillon. 

Strawberry  Hill,  Nov.  3d,  1766. 

One  cannot  repine,  Madam,  at  some  portion  of  illness,  when 
it  procures  one  such  marks  of  goodness  as  I  have  experienced, 
especially  from  your  Grace  ;  indeed,  it  grew  a  little  too  serious, 
and  I  began  to  think  that  I  should  not  live  to  pay  my  debts  of 
gratitude.  My  Lady  Hervey,  with  all  her  kindness  to  me  and 
her  partiality,  her  just  partiality,  to  France,  is  however  in  the 
wrong  to  attribute  any  part  of  my  illness  to  my  manner  of  living 
at  Paris.  I  came  from  thence  perfectly  well;  and,  to  say  the 
truth,  I  ascribe  much  more  to  the  damp  air  of  England  than  to 
any  course  of  life.  Yet  I  will  not  say  too  much  against  my 

*  Eldest  daughter  of  tlie  Minister,  Earl  of  Bute. 
f  Sir  George  (afterwards  Lord  Macartney)  who  married  her. 
£  Comte  de  Guerchy,  Ambassador  from  France. 

§  The  Duke  of  Norfolk  married  secondly,  in  1771,  Miss  FitzRoy  Scuda- 
rnore  of  Holme  Lacy,  county  Hereford. 


1766]  TO   THE   DUCHESS   D'AIGUILLON.  31 

own  country,  that  I  may  not  destroy  any  little  merit  I  may  have 
in  returning  to  Paris  this  winter.  I  neither  deserve  nor  expect 
any  sacrifice,  but  am  ready  to  sacrifice  anything  both  to  your 
Grace  and  Madame  du  Deffand,  who  have  both  shown  me  so 
many  marks  of  kindness  and  protection. 

Mr.  Hume  has,  I  own,  surprised  me,  Madam,  by  suffering  his 
squabble  with  Kousseau  to  be  published.  He  went  to  Scotland 
determined  against  it.  All  his  friends  gave  him  the  same  ad- 
vice ;  but  I  see  some  philosophers  can  no  more  keep  their  reso- 
lution than  other  philosophers  can  keep  their  temper.  If  he 
has  been  overpersuaded  from  Paris,  I  suspect  that  the  advice 
was  not  so  much  given  him  for  his  sake,  as  to  gratify  some 
spleen  against  Eousseau ;  and  that  his  counsellors  had  a  mind 
to  figure  in  the  quarrel ;  for  men  of  letters  delight  in  these 
silly  altercations,  tho'  they  affect  to  condemn  them.  It  spreads 
their  names,  and  they  are  often  known  by  their  disputes,  when 
they  cannot  make  themselves  talked  of  for  their  talents.  For 
my  own  part,  I  little  expected  to  see  my  letter  in  print,  as  your 
Grace  tells  me  it  is,  for  I  have  not  yet  seen  the  book.  I  have 
neither  been  asked  nor  given  any  consent  to  my  letter  being 
published.  I  do  not  take  it  ill  of  Mr.  Hume,  as  I  left  him  at 
liberty  to  show  it  to  whom  he  pleased  ;  I  am,  however,  sorry  it 
is  printed :  not  that  I  am  ashamed  of  any  sentiment  in  it,  es- 
pecially since  your  Grace  does  me  the  honour  of  approving  it ; 
but  I  think  all  literary  controversies  ridiculous,  impertinent,  and 
contemptible.  The  world  justly  despises  them,  especially  from 
the  arrogance  which  modern  authors  assume.  I  don't  know 
who  the  publishers  are,  nor  care  ;  I  only  hope  that  nobody  will 
think  that  I  have  any  connection  with  them.  Nor  have  I ;  tho'  I 
have  played  the  fool  in  print,  I  have  not  so  much  of  the  author 
as  to  think  myself  of  consequence  enough  to  trouble  the  world 
with  my  letters  and  quarrels.  Authors  by  profession  may,  at 
least  they  generally  do,  give  themselves  such  airs  of  dignity ; 
but  they  do  not  become  me.  However,  madam,  I  only  laugh  at 
all  this,  for  I  am  no  philosopher,  and  therefore  am  not  angry. 

I  am  told  it  is  asserted  that  I  have  owned  that  the  letter  to 
Eousseau  was  not  mine ;  I  wish  it  was  not,  for  then  it  would 
have  been  better.  I  told  your  Grace,  I  believe,  what  I  told  to 
many  more,  that  some  grammatical  faults  in  it  had  been  cor- 
rected for  me,  for  I  certainly  do  not  pretend  to  write  French 


32  LETTERS   OP   H.    WALPOLE.  [1766 

well ;  and  it  ought  to  be  remarked,  too,  that  the  letter  was  not 
written  in  the  name  of  a  Frenchman.  I  must  have  been  vain 
indeed  if  I  had  flattered  myself  that  I  could  write  French  well 
enough  to  be  mistaken  for  a  Frenchman.  The  book  too,  I 
hear,  says  that  the  real  author  ought  to  discover  himself.  I 
was  the  real  author,  and  never  denied  it.  But  is  not  it 
amusing,  madam,  to  hear  an  anonymous  author  calling  on 
somebody,  he  does  not  know  whom,  to  name  himself  ?  And  are 
not  such  authors  very  respectable  ?  I  shall  not  imitate  him,  nor 
ask  to  hear  the  publisher's  name :  I  do  not  believe  I  should  be 
much  the  wiser  for  knowing  it. 

I  am  told,  too,  that  my  letter  to  Eousseau  is  censured  in  this 
book.  It  is  very  mortifying  to  me,  to  be  sure,  that,  when  so 
many  persons  of  taste  had  been  pleased  with  that  letter,  it 
should  be  condemned  by  higher  authority;  but  it  is  not 
uncommon  for  men  of  taste  and  men  of  letters  to  be  of 
a  totally  different  opinion.  Nor  am  I  surprized  that  a  trifle, 
designed  as  a  jest,  and  certainly  never  intended  to  be  made 
public,  should  be  anathematized  by  their  holinesses  the  philo- 
sophers and  the  enemies  of  Eousseau.  It  looked  like  candour 
to  blame  me,  when  so  real  an  injury  was  meditated  against  him 
as  the  publication  of  his  absurd  letter  to  Mr.  Hume.  Philo- 
sophy is  so  tender  and  so  scrupulous  ! 

I  beg  your  Grace's  pardon  for  troubling  you  so  long.  You 
find  I  am  so  much  of  an  author,  that  I  contradict  myself,  and 
think  this  very  foolish  controversy  important  enough  to  employ 
two  pages.  Indeed  it  is  not ;  and  if  I  were  not  alone  in  the 
country,  I  should  not  have  thought  it  worth  two  lines.  Such  a 
real  genius  as  Eousseau  cannot  appear,  but  he  causes  all  the 
insignificant  scribblers  in  Europe  to  overwhelm  the  public  with 
their  opinions  of  him  and  his  writings.  But  he  may  comfort 
himself ;  his  works  will  be  admired  when  the  compilers  of  dic- 
tionaries and  mercuries  will  be  as  much  forgotten  as  your 
Grace's 

Most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

HORACE  WALPOLE. 


1767]    HIS   ACCOUNT  OP  CHARLES   TOWNSHEND's   SPEECH.     33 

In  a  letter  from  Horace  Walpole  to  Sir  Horace  Mann, 
dated  May  12th,  1767,  the  following  passage  occurs  : — 

[Nothing  was  ever  so  vexatious  !  I  had  just  written  you  a 
long  letter  of  three  sides,  and  laid  it  upon  the  hearth  to  dry, 
while  I  stepped  into  the  next  room  to  fetch  some  sealing  wax. 
A  coal  has  fallen  on  it,  and  I  find  it  all  in  flames.  I  have  not 
time  to  write  half  of  it  again.  I  will  just  run  over  the  heads,  if 
I  can  remember  them. 

My  chief  article  was  a  wonderful  speech  made  by  Charles 
Townshend  last  Friday,  apropos  to  nothing,  and  yet  about 
everything — about  ministers,  past,  present,  and  to  come — him- 
self in  particular,  whom  I  think  rather  past  than  to  come.  It 
was  all  wit  and  folly,  satire  and  indiscretion.  He  was  half- 
drunk  when  he  made  it,  and  yet  that  did  but  serve  to  raise  the 
idea  of  his  abilities.] 

The  following  account  of  Charles  Townshend's*  speech, 
dated  May  8th,  1767,  is  probably  the  'chief  article'  of 
the  burnt  letter  to  which  he  alludes.  Horace  Walpole 
sometimes  preserved  copies  of  his  letters,  but  in  this  case 
it  seems  more  probable,  though  dated  the  8th,  it  was  a 
memorandum  from  recollection  of  the  letter  he  had  in- 
tended sending  to  Sir  Horace  Mann. 

May  8th,  1767. 

Charles  Townshend  had  come  to  the  House  with  a  black  silk 
hanging  over  his  wounded  eye,  which  in  the  warmth  of  debate 
he  turned  aside,  and  discovered  two  very  small  slips  of  sticking- 
plaister  over  and  below  his  eye,  not  amounting  to  more  than 
scratches.  In  the  beginning  of  the  day  he  made  a  fine  speech, 
in  which  he  said  he  hoped  his  behaviour  in  the  conduct  of  the 
transaction  with  the  East  India  Company  had  wiped  out  the 
levities  and  imperfections  of  his  former  life ;  and  he  magnified 
his  own  firmness  in  having  borne  and  overborne  much  reproach 
and  contradiction,  which  he  insinuated  to  have  received  from 
Lord  Chatham,  whom  he  had  not  seen  during  the  winter.  At 

*  Honourable  C.  Townshend,    second  son   of  Charles  third  Viscount 
Townshend,  made  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in  1766 ;  died  Sept.  1767. 
VOL.  II.  D 


34  LETTERS   OF  H.   WALPOLE.  [1767 

four  o'clock  he  left  the  House,  tho'  the  management  of  the  day 
depended  on  him  ;    and  taking  one  or  two  members  with  him, 
he  went  to  dinner.     His  presence  growing  absolutely  necessary, 
Mr.  Conway  sent  for  him.      He  returned  about  eight,  as  Mr. 
G-renville  was   speaking ;    after   whom  Townshend   rose,  half 
drunk,  and  made  the  most  extravagantly  fine  speech  that  ever 
was  heard.      It  lasted  an  hour,  with  torrents  of  wit,  ridicule, 
vanity,  lies,  and  beautiful   language.      Not  a  word  was  pre- 
meditated,  yet  every  sentence  teemed  with  various  allusions 
and  metaphors,  and  every  period  was  complete,  correct,  and 
harmonious.      His  variety  of  tones  and  gesticulation  surpassed 
the  best  actor  in  comedy,  yet  the  faltering  of  his  pronunciation 
from  liquor,  and  the  buffonery  of  his  humour  and  mimicry, 
would  not  have  been  suffered  in  high  comedy.     Nothing  had 
given  occasion  to  his  speech,  and  there  was  no  occasion  on 
which  it  would  not  have  been  as  proper,  or,  to  say  truth,  as  im- 
proper ;  for  if  anything  could  exceed  his  parts,  it  was  his  indis- 
cretion.    He  meant  to  please  everybody  and  exalt  himself ;  but 
lest  he  should  not  enough  distinguish  the  latter,  he  took  care  to 
overturn  all  he  had  done  to  effect  the  former.      The  whole  of 
his  speech  was  diverting  to  every  man  that  hated  any  set  of 
men ;  it  was  impertinent  and  offensive  to  all  it  described  or 
seemed  to  compliment ;  and  was  most  painful  to  those  who  had 
any  love  for  him.      The  purport  seemed  to  be  an  intention  of 
recommending  Kockingham's  party  for  ministers,  with  himself 
at  the  head  of  them ;  complimenting  but  sneering  at  Grenville, 
and  slightly  noticing   Conway.      But  lest  the  great  families 
whom  he  adopted  should  assume  too  much,  he  ridiculed  the 
incompetence  of  birth  and  high  blood,  cried  up  the  sole  advan- 
tage of  abilities  and  experience,  and  informed  those  he  pro- 
tected that  rank  was  not  talents,  and  that  they  must  wait  till 
ripened,  and  not  come  to  government  as  if  forced  in  a  hotbed. 
The  most  injurious  part  fell  on  the  Crown,  he  stating  the  mis- 
chiefs of  the  late  so  frequent  changes,  calling  for  restitution  of 
the  first  post  in  administration  to  the  House  of  Commons,  and 
treating  the  actual  ministry  as  no  longer  existent.      Govern- 
ment, he  said,  must  not  continue  to  be  what  he  himself  was 
always  called,  a  weather-cock. 

Nobody  but  he  could  have  made  that  speech ;  and  nobody 
but  he  would  have  made  it,  if  they  could.  It  was  at  once  a 
proof  that  his  abilities  were  superior  to  those  of  all  men,  and 


1767]    HIS  ACCOUNT  OP  CHARLES  TOWNSHEND's  SPEECH.     35 

his  judgment  below  that  of  any  man.  It  showed  him  capable 
of  being,  and  unfit  to  be,  first  minister.  Yet  tho'  it  was  rather 
the  tittle-tattle  of  a  coffee-house,  and  the  flower  of  table  elo- 
quence, still  was  it  the  confusion  of  affected  and  laboured 
oratory.  Nature  in  him  made  sport  with  rules  and  meditation  ; 
and  half  a  bottle  of  champagne,  poured  on  genuine  genius,  had 
kindled  this  wonderful  blaze. 

The  House  was  in  a  roar  of  rapture,  and  some  clapped  their 
hands  with  ecstacy,  like  audience  in  a  theatre.  Nor  was  it  the 
least  striking  circumstance  of  this  speech,  that,  laying  his  hand 
on  his  heart,  he  called  God  to  witness  that  he  had  not  been 
made  privy  to  the  business  of  the  day.  Fourteen  of  the  minis- 
terial managers,  who  then  were  actually  sitting  round  him, 
had  concerted  with  him  the  motion  at  Townsh end's  own  house 
that  very  morning,  and  were  thunderstruck  at  his  madness  and 
effrontery  ;  and  when  Conway,  the  moment  he  concluded,  asked 
him  how  he  could  utter  such  a  falsehood,  he  thought  it  the  most 
favourable  way  of  recommending  the  business  to  the  House. 

In  this  speech,  he  beat  Lord  Chatham  in  language,  Burke  in 
metaphors,  Grenville  in  presumption,  Rigby  in  impudence, 
himself  in  folly,  and  everybody  in  good-humour ;  for  he  pleased 
while  he  provoked  at  random ;  was  malicious  to  nobody,  cheerful 
to  all ;  and  if  his  speech  was  received  with  delight,  it  was  only 
remembered  with  pity. 

The  letter  addressed  to  the  Duchesse  de  Choiseul  ap- 
pears to  have  been  written  in  December  1770,  when 
Horace  Walpole  writes  thus  to  Sir  H.  Mann  : — '  The  Due 
de  Choiseul  is  fallen.  Abishag  (Madame  du  Barry)  has 
strangled  an  administration  that  had  lasted  fourteen 
years.  I  am  sincerely  grieved  for  the  Duchesse  de  Choi- 
seul, the  most  perfect  being  I  know  of  her  sex.' 

To  the  Duchess  of  Choiseul. 

Pendant  que  la  France  entiere  vous  marquoit  ses  regrets, 
madame,  je  n'osois  pas  vous  importuner  des  miens.  Mais  le 
triomphe  de  la  vertu  doit-il  se  borner  a  un  seul  pais?  La 
reconnoissance  et  la  plus  parfaite  estime  ne  trouveront-elles 

D2 


36  LETTERS   OF   H.   WALPOLE.  [1784 

pas  un  moment  a  se  faire  entendre  ?  Oui,  chere  grandmaman, 
je  perds  le  respect,  qui  vous  est  du  a  tant  d'egards,  pour  epan- 
cher  mon  cceur  avec  plus  de  liberte  et  de  tendresse.  Je  me 
rejouis  avec  vous,  car  de  quoi  vous  plaindre  ?  Avez-vous  ete 
ambitieuse,  avare,  insolente  ?  Sont-ce  des  creatures  qui  vous 
regrettent,  ou  des  malheureux  ?  Monsieur  le  Due  de  Choiseul 
est-il  condamne  de  sa  patrie  et  de  vous,  ou  approuve  et 
comble  de  louanges  ?  Est-il  plus  doux  de  deviner  ce  que  la 
posterite  dira  de  nous,  ou  de  1'entendre  de  la  bouche  de  sa 
patrie  et  de  toute  1'Europe  ?  Oh  !  vraiment  je  benis  le  ciel  de 
m'avoir  donne  un  pere  et  un  grand-pere  dont  la  gloire  ne  fait 
qu'accroitre  tous  les  jours,  et  a  qui  il  ne  manquoit  que  la  dis- 
grace pour  fixer  1'immortalite.  Oui,  oui,  belle  maman,  il  faut 
vous  center  ce  qu'on  dit  de  papa  Choiseul ;  et  cela  ne  vient  pas 
d'une  voix  suspecte.  My  Lord  Chatham  a  dit  en  plein  parlement, 
que  depuis  feu  M.  le  Cardinal  de  Eichelieu  la  France  n'avoit 
point  possede  un  aussi  grand  ministre  que  M.  le  Due  de  Choiseul, 
et  qu'il  avoit  emporte  les  regrets  de  tous  les  ordres  de  1'etat.  Voila 
comme  parlent  les  veritables  grands  hommes,  qui  s'y  entendent. 
Notre  peuple,  qui  ne  connoit  M.  de  Choiseul  que  par  la  peur 
qu'il  leur  avoit  faite,  a  une  maniere  de  louer  toute  differente,  et 
se  felicite  de  sa  chute.  Ce  n'est  pas  un  eloge  a  mepriser. 

Votre  fermete  et  la  noblesse  de  votre  ame,  madame,  m'as- 
surent  que  parmi  tant  de  sujets  de  gloire,  vous  n'oublierez  pas 
entierement  un  homme  que  vous  avez  comble  de  bontes,  et  qui 
vous  est  attache  par  la  reconnoissance  et  par  1'admiration  de 
toutes  vos  belles  qualites.  Permettez-moi  de  conserver  le  doux 
titre  de  votre  petit-fils,  et  laissez-moi  m'enorgueillir,  comme  si 
j'etois  grand  prince,  sans  merite  des  vertus  de  mes  ancetres.  Ma 
foi,  je  ne  les  troquerois  pas  centre  un  Cardinal  de  Eichelieu, 
trop  flatte  si  s'ose  me  signer, 

Madame, 
Votre  tr&s-affectionne  et  tres-fidele  serviteur, 

HORACE  WALPOLE  de  Choiseul. 


My  Answer  to  the  Rev.  Wm.  Mason. 

[Berkeley  Square,  Feb.  2,  1784. 

I  thank  you  for  your  condolence  on  the  death  of  my  brother, 
and  on  the  considerable  diminution  of  my  own  fortune,  tho' 


1784]  TO   THE   REV.  WM.  MASON.  37 

neither  are  events  to  which  I  am  not  perfectly  reconciled.  My 
brother  was  seventy-seven,  had  enjoyed  perfect  health  and 
senses  to  that  age,  did  not  even  begin  to  break  till  last  August, 
suffered  no  pain,  saw  death  advance  gradually  tho'  fast  with 
the  coolest  tranquillity,  did  not  even  wish  to  live  longer,  and 
died  both  with  indifference  and  without  affectation :  is  that  a 
termination  to  lament  ? 

I  do  lose  fourteen  hundred  a  year  by  his  death ;  but  had  I 
reason  to  expect  to  keep  it  so  long  ?  I  had  twice  been  offered 
the  reversion  for  my  own  life,  and  positively  refused  to  accept 
it,  because  I  would  receive  no  obligation  that  might  entangle 
my  honour  and  my  gratitude,  and  set  them  at  variance.  I 
never  did  ask  or  receive  a  personal  favour  from  my  most  inti- 
mate friends  when  in  power,  tho'  they  were  too  upright  to  have 
laid  me  under  the  same  difficulties,  and  have  always  acted  an 
honest  uniform  part :  but  tho'  I  love  expense,  I  was  content 
with  a  fortune  far  above  any  merit  I  can  pretend  to,  and  knew 
I  should  be  content  were  it  much  lessened.  As  it  would  be 
contemptible  to  regret  the  diminution  at  sixty-six,  there  is  no 
merit  in  being  quite  easy  under  the  loss.  But  you  do  me 
honour  I  do  not  deserve,  in  complimenting  me  on  not  loving 
money.  I  have  always  loved  what  money  would  purchase,  which 
is  much  the  same  thing ;  and  the  whole  of  my  philosophy  con- 
sists in  reconciling  myself  to  buying  fewer  baubles  for  a  year  or 
two  that  I  may  live,  and  when  the  old  child's  baby-house  is 
quite  full  of  playthings. 

I  am  surprised  that  you  expected  me  to  take  notice  of  Lord 
Harcourt's  turning  courtier.  It  did  not  astonish  me  in  the 
least,  as  I  have  known  for  near  two  years  that  such  an  event 
was  by  no  means  improbable,  and  did  myself  try  to  contribute 
to  it,  when  I  thought  it  not  at  all  irreconcileable  with  his  former 
conduct:  nor  do  I  wonder  at  your  announcing  in  effect  the 
same  of  yourself.  Were  I  surprised,  I  should  contradict  one  of 
*my  own  maxims,  which  I  have  scarce  or  never  known  to  fail, 
and  which  is,  that  men  are  always  most  angry  with  those  with 
whom  they  quarrel  last,  which  generally  produces  reconciliations 
between  those  whose  hatreds  agree  in  eodem  tertio.  But,  in 
truth,  I  concern  myself  with  no  man's  politics  but  my  own ; 
first,  because  I  have  no  more  right  to  dictate  to  others,  than  I 
will  allow  anybody  to  dictate  to  me ;  and  secondly,  because  I 


38  LETTERS   OF  H.   WALPOLE.  [1784 

can  see  into  no  heart  but  my  own,  nor  know  its  real  motives  of 
action.  My  own  point  has  been  to  be  consistent,  ever  since  I 
first  thought  on  politics,  which  was  five-and-forty  years  ago ; 
and  I  feel  a  satisfaction  in  having  been  so  steady,  because  it 
seems  to  me,  if  I  do  not  deceive  or  flatter  myself,  that  it  is  a 
proof  that  I  have  acted  on  principle,  and  not  from  disappoint- 
ment, resentment,  passion,  interest,  or  fickleness. 

It  made  me  smile>  indeed,  when  I  heard  that  Lord  Harcourt, 
on  his  change,  had  given  away  his  ring  of  Brutus  to  Lady 
Jersey's  little  boy ;  because  I  do  not  see  how  anything  that  has 
happened  within  this  twelvemonth  has  affected  the  character  of 
Brutus,  who  died  seventeen  hundred  years  before  the  coalition 
was  thought  on.  I  am  glad,  however,  that  if  I  change,  I  may 
keep  my  Caligula  without  committing  treason. 

Your  distinction  of  the  Crown's  friends  is,  I  own,  too 
theologic  a  refinement  for  my  simple  understanding,  who  never 
conceived  a  confusion  of  two  natures  in  one  person,  yet  still 
remaining  separate.  Nor  in  human  affairs  should  I  comprehend 
why  a  pope's  disgracing  himself  as  a  gentleman  by  the  means 
of  duplicity,  should  make  one  fall  in  love  with  his  tiara.  Do 
you  think  I  should  accept  for  sound  reasoning,  if  you  were 
capable  of  telling  me  that,  tho'  you  vowed  in  a  sermon  that  you 
would  never  be  a  bishop,  yet  your  gown  being  distinct  from 
you,  you  could  see  no  reason  why  your  gown  might  not  be 
turned  into  lawn  sleeves  ? 

What  miracles  the  new  set  of  men  that  are  to  arise  are  to 
achieve,  I  neither  know  nor  care ;  I  shall  be  out  of  the  question 
before  that  blessed  millennium  arrives ;  unless  they  are  already 
come,  as  perhaps  they  are — and  for  that,  too,  I  cannot  have  long 
to  care ;  tho'  I  firmly  believe  that  your  new  set  will  only  effect 
what  has  often  been  tried  before,  and  what  you  say  ought  to  be 
tried,  i.  e.,  to  prove  themselves  the  Crown's  friends ;  an  act  of 
loyalty  which  I  dare  to  say  the  wearer  will  be  the  first  to 
pardon. 

You  see,  by  my  using  the  same  liberality  of  correspondence,  I 
approve  of  yours.  I  am  above  disguising  my  sentiments,  and 
am  too  low  for  any  man  to  disguise  his  to  me.  Mine,  indeed, 
having  no  variety  in  them,  must  be  less  entertaining ;  and  there- 
fore, unless  I  take  a  freak  of  hobbling  to  court,  you  can  have 
no  curiosity  to  hear  them.  Nor  should  I  have  mentioned  them 


1784]      EXPLANATION  OF   LETTER  TO   EEV.  WM.  MASON.         39 

now,  but  that  I  thought  it  respectful  to  you  and  candid,  when 
you  communicated  yr  new  sentiments  to  me,  to  tell  you  that 
mine  remain  unaltered. 

I  cannot  conceive  why  you  think  that  I  shall  not  like  your 
tragedy:  am  I  apt  to  dislike  your  writings?  Tho'  I  am  too 
sincere  to  flatter  you  when  I  think  you  unequal  to  yourself,  I 
did  reckon  that  I  was  one  who  had  taste  enough  to  be  sensible 
to  the  utmost  of  the  beauties  of  yr  capital  works  ;  and  tragedy 
is  certainly  not  a  walk  in  which  I  can  believe  you  will  miss 
your  way — you  have  trodden  more  difficult  paths  with  the 
happiest  facility.  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  your  piece,  when  you 
will  indulge  me  with  it,  and  am 

Yours  ever, 

HOKACE  WALPOLE.] 

Explanation  of  Mr.  Tf.'s  Letter  to  Mr.  M.* 

Mr.  Mason,  Gr.  S.  Earl  of  Harcourt,  and  Mr.  H.  Walpole 
were  intimate  friends,  and  agreed  in  condemning  the  K.'8  mea- 
sures. But  at  the  end  of  the  year  1783,  when  Mr.  Ch.  Fox  pro- 
duced his  famous  E.  India  bill,  Mr.  Mason  and  Ld  Harcourt, 
without  even  the  slightest  hint  to  Mr.  Walpole,  changed  sides 
totally,  and  tho'  Mr.  W.  dined  with  the  Earl  in  private  but  the 
very  day  before  Ld  H.  voted  against  that  bill,  he  did  not  drop 
a  syllable  of  his  intention,  nor  of  his  design  of  going  to  court, 
which  he  had  not  done  for  some  years ;  yet  he  had  acquainted 
Mr.  Mason,  or  rather,  I  believe,  had  been  persuaded  by  him 
secretly  to  take  those  steps ;  and  when  they  were  taken,  Mr. 
Mason  wrote  an  authoritative  letter  to  Mr.  Walpole  approving 
that  conduct,  and  presumptuously  flatteriDg  himself,  even  without 
giving  any  reason  for  their  total  tergiversation,  that  he  should 
influence  Mr.  Walpole  to  take  the  same  part.  Mr.  W.  thought  it 
became  him  to  treat  such  treacherous  and  impertinent  behaviour 
as  it  deserved,  and  to  let  Mr.  M.  see  that,  with  all  his  admira- 
tion of  Mr.  Mason's  satiric  abilities  in  poetry,  Mr.  W.  neither 
feared  his  anger,  nor  w4  suffer  him  to  govern  his  principles. 
Mr.  W.'s  answer  received  none ;  and  tho'  Mr.  M.  continued  to 

*  In  Mr.  Cunningham's  edition  of  H.  Walpole's  letters,  the  explanation  to 
the  foregoing  letter  is  taken  from  a  book  called  '  Walpoliana ; '  that  which  is 
here  given  is  taken  from  a  MS.  in  Walpole's  own  handwriting.  __ 


40  LETTERS   OF   H.    WALPOLE.  [1794 

visit  him  for  a  year  or  two,  a  total  coolness  ensued,  and  all 
correspondence  by  letters  ceased. 

Lady  Harcourt,  who  during  Ld  Eockingham's  short  adminis- 
tration had  overwhelmed  Mr.  W.  with  letters,  two  or  three  in  a 
day,  to  get  her  lord  a  place,  which  he  had  tried  in  vain,  was 
made  lady  of  the  bedchamber ;  and  she  and  her  lord  became 
a  proverb,  even  to  courtiers,  of  the  most  servile  attachment  to 
their  Majesties,  tho'  both  had  forsworn  St.  James's  on  the 
King's  and  Queen's  neglect  of  them  on  the  unfortunate  death 
of  the  Earl's  father ;  and  his  lordship,  besides  wearing  a  ring 
of  Brutus  with  the  daggers  and  ides  of  March,  had  given  away 
the  portraits  of  King  and  Queen,  their  presents  to  the  late  Earl. 

Mr.  Mason  had  preached  a  sermon  at  York  against  the  Arch- 
bishop, in  which  he  declared  he  never  wd  be  a  bishop,  and  was 
going  to  print  it,  but  had  been  dissuaded  by  Mr.  Walpole  from 
making  such  a  rash  vow  in  print.  Mr.  Mason  hated  Lord 
Kockingham  and  Mr.  Fox. 

The  K.  had  approved  of  and  encouraged  the  D.  of  Portland 
and  Mr.  Fox  on  their  India  bill,  and  then  commanded  even  the 
lords  of  his  own  bedchamber  to  vote  against  it. 

Mr.  W.  has  a  very  fine  antique  bust  in  bronze  of  Caligula. 

The  Opposition  had  for  many  years  complained  of  that  knot 
of  devotees  to  the  court,  who  affected  to  call  themselves 
the  King's  friends ;  and  nobody  had  been  more  determined 
against  them  than  Ld  Harcourt  and  Mason. 

Mr.  Pitt,  when  in  opposition,  had  supported  Mason's  and 
Wyvill's  project  of  altering  the  representation  of  Parl.,  and 
Mason,  no  doubt,  expected  wd  promote  it  when  become  minister ; 
but  he  disappointed  him :  and  Mr.  Pitt,  on  the  contrary,  gave 
a  capital  blow  to  the  House  of  Commons  by  maintaining  him- 
self by  the  prerogative  against  a  majority  of  that  House,  which 
proved  that  Mr.  W.  had  foreseen  rightly  of  the  new  set  of  men. 

Mason's  capital  work  indisputably  was  the  Heroic  Epistle  to 
Sr  William  Chambers. 

Unknown  to  whom  addressed. 

May  27,  1794. 

DEAR  SR, — An  idea  has  arisen  in  my  thoughts,  on  which  I 
have  a  great  desire  to  consult  you,  not  minutely,  but  in  general, 
and  this  for  two  reasons :  the  first,  because  I  have  not  extended 


1794]  FLAX   FOR   INSPIRING   PATRIOTISM.  41 

or  weighed  the  idea  sufficiently  myself;  and  the  second,  because 
the  season  is  not  yet  arrived  to  carry  the  design  (supposing  it 
should  be  proper  and  practicable)  into  execution. 

My  wish  is,  that  all  who  live  under  our  present  unprece- 
dentedly  happy  constitution,  composed  of  King,  Lords,  and 
Commons,  should  be  grounded  from  their  earliest  youth  in  such 
a  firm  attachment  to  that  matchless  system,  in  such  undivided 
ardour  of  patriotism  for  that  trinitarian  but  one  composition, 
that  no  monarchic  or  republican  doctrines,  no  factious  or  inte- 
rested views,  no  attachment  to  political  leaders  or  dictators,  may 
ever  be  able  to  detach  them  from  the  great  principles  of  the 
constitution. 

It  is  undesirable  that  we  have  no  system  of  education  at  all 
calculated  for  impressing  such  essential  patriotism.  Parents 
content  themselves  with  breeding  up  their  children  in  their  own 
principles  ;  that  is,  of  talking  before  their  children  with  a  bias 
towards  Whig  or  Tory  principles ;  and  the  masters  or  tutors 
appointed  are  probably  chosen,  if  principles  enter  into  the  con- 
sideration, for  being  supposed  of  the  same  party  as  the  parent. 
If  the  tutor  or  master  be  a  clergyman,  he  will  doubtless  instill 
into  his  pupil  a  due  respect  for  the  Church,  which,  tho'  incor- 
porated by  law  into  the  general  system,  is  not  a  specific  part  of 
our  tripartite  constitution,  tho'  admitted  into  it,  and  which  I 
would  preserve  there  for  (perhaps  a  singular)  reason.  I  mean, 
looking  on  the  complex  body  of  higher  and  lower  clergy  as  a 
pin  that  tends  to  support  that  third  part  of  the  constitution,  the 
Crown,  which  might  be  too  much  weakened  if  deprived  of  that 
buttress,  should  a  contest  arise  between  the  Crown  and  the  two 
other  branches  of  the  legislature,  who,  possessing  the  whole 
landed  property  of  the  kingdom,  might  be  an  overmatch  for  the 
third  power ;  and  since  the  union  of  the  three  has  produced  and 
preserved  our  unexampled  system,  and  raised  this  country  to 
such  a  summit  of  glory  and  wealth,  with  perfect  freedom,  it 
would  be  madness  to  shake  an  edifice  so  cemented,  in  order  to 
try  speculative  experiments  and  reforms  which  might  endanger, 
but  could  not  augment,  our  general  felicity.  The  happiness  of 
the  whole  is  not  to  be  risked  to  humour  a  few  visionaries. 

After  this  short  introduction,  I  will  sketch  my  novel  idea. 

I  would  have  an  exposition  of  our  triformed  constitution 
drawn  up,  showing  how,  in  its  contexture  and  consequences, 


42  LETTERS   OP  H.   WALPOLE. 

it  is  preferable  to  all  systems  of  government  yet  invented.  (I 
do  not  detail  more  on  this  head  here),  but  when  stated  in  the 
strongest  and  clearest  manner,  and  then  reduced  to  a  corollary 
of  implicit  faith,  I  would  have  all  schools,  seminaries,  colleges, 
universities,  obliged  to  inculcate  this  creed  into  all  the  youth 
committed  to  their  care,  and  a  plan  of  education  a  little  more 
necessary  to  a  Briton  than  Greek  and  Latin,  tho'  I  do  not  desire 
to  exclude  or  interfere  with  the  instruction  into  those  languages 
— far  from  it.  If  a  code  of  constitutional  doctrine  could  be 
formed,  I  would  have  it  subdivided.  I  would  have  an  accidence 
of  short  aphorisms  or  axioms  extracted  for  young  beginners ; 
larger  grammars  for  the  adults,  and  these  only  taught  in  short 
lessons  on  holidays,  and  without  punishments  annexed,  that  the 
learners  might  have  no  disagreeable  sensations  annexed  to  what 
I  wish  to  have  them  love — the  constitution.  Lectures  in  the 
manner  of  sermons  might  be  delivered  once  a  week  to  the  dis- 
ciples of  all  ages,  and  the  love  of  our  country  and  its  beautiful 
constitution  inculcated  by  every  art  possible. 

You,  my  dear  Sr,  would  be  infinitely  more  able  than  I  am  to 
dilate  these  rude  hints  into  a  valuable  and  practicable  system. 
My  object  is  to  raise  a  spirit  of  enthusiasm  for  our  constitution 
into  our  young  and  future  countrymen  ;  and  as  my  plan  would 
attach  them  to  each  branch  of  the  legislature,  not  one  of  the 
three  can,  or  at  least  ought  to  be  averse  from  adopting  it  by  law, 
if  it  were  better  digested,  and  a  patriotic  code  formed,  which  it 
would  be  the  interest  of  all  the  three  powers  to  sanction.  All 
opposition  that  should  tend  to  annihilate  any  one  of  the  three 
powers  would  be  baffled,  if  the  bigotry  of  the  nation  to  the  esta- 
blished constitution  were  predominant. 


Unknown  to  whom  addressed. 

I  am  not  at  all  sorry,  Sr,  for  the  little  misunderstanding  that 
has  happened,  both  as  it  has  procured  me  a  most  obliging  letter 
from  you,  and  as  it  gives  me  an  opportunity  of  explaining  my 
expressions  by  Mr.  Bedford,  which  I  hope  you  will  give  me 
leave  to  do,  yet  as  briefly  as  I  can,  for  your  time,  S%  is  precious, 
tho'  mine  is  not. 

If  I  had  the  pleasure  of  being  better  known  to  you,  you  would 
not  have  been  surprised  at  my  message.  Being  a  very  subor- 


TO  AN  UNKNOWN  CORRESPONDENT.  43 

dinate  officer  of  the  Exchequer,  I  have  always  known  it 
was  my  duty  to  receive  the  commands  of  my  superiors  the 
Lords  of  the  Treasury  with  respect  and  obedience,  and  to  give 
them  any  information  that  they  please  to  demand  within  my 
small  province.  I  once  received  a  parallel  order  from  Mr. 
Eobinson,  as  Mr.  Bedford  can  tell  you,  and  behaved  with  the 
like  deference.  Allow  me  to  add,  that  Mr.  Bedford  will  always 
be  ready,  Sr,  to  comply  with  yr  commands,  either  with  regard  to 
any  information  he  can  give  you  or  in  other  particulars. 

It  is  very  true,  Sr,  that  at  first  I  did  imagine  that  there  might 
be  a  farther  view  in  your  inquiry ;  but  I  was  not  less  ready  to 
obey  it.  When  the  Commissioners  of  Accounts  sent  for  Mr. 
Bedford,  I  gave  him  the  most  positive  orders  to  lay  before  them 
the  most  minute  details  of  my  office,  and  to  answer  circumstan- 
tially their  every  question,  as  I  would  resign  my  place  to-morrow 
rather  than  hold  it  by  any  subterfuge  or  disguise.  I  owe  every 
thing  I  have  to,  the  Crown  and  the  public,  and  certainly  by  no 
merit  in  myself.  I  should  deserve  to  lose  all  were  I  capable  of 
any  deceit.  When  there  has  been  any  question  on  patent  places, 
I  have  thought  it  most  respectful  to  await  the  determination  of 
the  legislature  in  silence:  and  therefore  resolved  neither  to 
make  interest  to  save  myself  from  what  should  be  thought 
necessary  for  the  public ;  nor,  as  I  have  great  contempt  for 
ostentation,  not  to  affect  to  be  willing  to  give  up  my  right,  as  I 
do  not  believe  that  any  man  really  desires  to  have  his  fortune 
lessened ;  tho'  I  flatter  myself  that  nobody  is  less  disposed  to 
prefer  his  private  interest  to  that  of  the  public. 

These  sentiments,  Sr,  led  me  into  the  mistake  which  you  have 
been  pleased  so  obligingly  to  clear,  for  which  I  beg  you  to  receive 
my  sincere  thanks.  May  I,  Sr,  entreat  you  likewise  to  offer  like 
respectful  thanks  to  Lord  Shelburne  ?  I  am  very  sensible  of 
his  lordship's  kind  attention,  to  which  my  insignificance  has  no 
pretensions ;  and,  therefore,  my  gratitude  can  but  be  the  greater. 
I  would  thank  his  lordship  myself,  but  he  can  have  no  time  to 
throw  away  on  complimentary  letters;  and  I  have  taken  up 
but  too  much  of  yours.  I  have  the  honour  to  be  with  great 
regard,  Sr, 

Yr  most  obedient  and  most  obliged  humble  Ser*, 

HOK.  WALPOLE. 


44  LETTEKS   OF   H.   WALPOLE. 

As  there  are  still  a  few  persons  (tho'  truly  very  few)  who  are 
so  idle  and  weak  as  to  bewilder  themselves  in  the  Chattertonian 
Controversy,*  and  who  would  rob  the  poor  lad  of  the  honour  of 
having  imposed  on  them  by  his  forgeries ;  and  who  having  mis- 
carried in  reestablishing  his  credit,  still  vow  vengeance  on  one 
who  has  aided  to  dissipate  the  delusion ;  it  would  perhaps  be 
cruel  to  destroy  their  harmless,  tho'  silly,  pastime,  which  hurts 
nobody ;  and  vain  to  attempt  to  set  a  man  right  who,  by  invent- 
ing falsehoods  to  justify  his  mistake,  shows  he  is  conscious  of 
being  in  the  wrong.  I,  tho'  invited  to  resume  the  trifling  con- 
test, am  less  called  upon  than  most  men  to  enter  the  lists, 
especially  against  masked  antagonists,  as,  having  once  told  my 
whole  story  simply,  with  unimpeached  veracity,  and  to  general 
satisfaction,  I  declared  I  would  not  waste  a  word  more  on  the 
subject,  of  which  everyone  but  two  or  three  old  and  early  con- 
verts, is  heartily  weary ;  for  whatever  pity  accompanies  a  detected 
impostor,  this  is  not  an  age  in  which  his  ashes  raise  new  prose- 
lytes. When  Tom  Paine  is  hanged,  his  disciples  will  not  be 
numerous. 

If  I  violate  my  own  resolution,  it  is  not  to  revive  the  contro- 
versy but  to  leave  a  memorial  behind  me,  that  shall  baffle  the 
future  aspersions  that  I  am  persuaded  are  prepared  and  meant 
to  substantiate  the  exploded  charge  of  ill-usage  of  Chatterton, 
as  soon  as  I  shall  be  no  more.  My  adversaries  keep  back  and 
dare  not  publish  my  letter  of  kind  advice  to  that  unhappy  lad, 
tho'  no  doubt  they  are  possessed  of  it,  as  well  as  of  my  first 
letter  to  him,  which  they  have  printed  to  show  that  at  the  first 
moment  I  was  imposed  upon  by  him.  Why  are  they  not  as 
industrious  to  authenticate  the  other  ?  No,  it  would  do  honour 
to  my  sensibility,  and  their  object  has  been  to  represent  me  as 
harsh,  cruel,  and  in'solent  to  him,  which  that  I  ever  was,  they 
must  suppress  my  kind  letter,  and  forge  one  in  a  contrary  style, 
to  make  believed — and  if  such  letter  is  produced,  Eowley  will 
have  written  it  as  much  as  I  did. 

I  will  now  trace  the  steps  by  which  this  scarce-gasping  contest 
has  been  attempted  to  be  set  again  upon  its  legs,  for  while  a 

*  See  Letters  and  Papers  relating  to  Chatterton,  pp.  205  to  239  (vol.  iv. 
4to.  edition  of  Lord  Orford's  Works),  amongst  which  this  Memorial  is  not 
included. 


THE  CHATTERTON  CONTROVERSY.          45 

spark  of  life  remains,  there  is  no  case  so  desperate  for  which 
some  physician  or  other  will  not  be  found  to  prescribe. 

Chatterton  was  too  young  and  had  too  much  parts  to  have 
attained  that  summit  of  antiquarian  excellence,  the  dull  accu- 
racy of  dates,  and  consequently  his  forgeries  were  ill-adapted 
to  the  barbarous  style  and  narrow  discoveries  of  the  dark 
ages  for  which  he  pretended  to  model  his  compositions.  He 
attributed  beautiful  imagery  to  monks  who  had  no  imagina- 
tion, and  antedated  arts  by  whole  centuries,  in  which  ingenious 
discoveries  would  have  been  imputed  to  magic  sooner  than  to 
genius.  But  as  in  all  ages  there  are  men  of  monkish  blindness, 
Chatterton  was  believed  when  he  coined  the  most  palpable 
improbabilities,  and  a  real  genius  of  the  seventeenth  century 
persuaded  his  converts  that  his  works  had  been  the  productions 
of  the  barbarous  fourteenth  in  which  they  would  have  been  un- 
intelligible. A  black  from  the  coast  of  Gruinea  would  as  soon 
have  understood  his  African  eclogue  because  it  has  the  names  of 
some  African  rivers,  as  the  good  folks  of  Bristol  would  have 
comprehended  the  phraseology  of  Olla,  tho'  sprinkled  with  some 
English  words  now  obsolete.  Had  the  imaginary  Eowley  existed 
and  written  for  the  stage,  he  would  probably  have  penned  Mys- 
teries, not  Dramas  on  the  Greek  model,  of  which  he  could  never 
have  heard  ;  but  Chatterton  had  never,  I  suppose,  heard  of  the 
Mysteries,  or  he  would  have  lent  some  translation  of  them  to 
Eowley — to  the  complete  satisfaction  of  our  antiquaries,  who 
must  internally  be  a  little  shocked  at  a  classic,  and  consequently 
a  heathen  tragedy,  issuing  from  the  gloom  of  a  convent  at 
Bristol.  Credulity's  darling  apothegm  is  Credo  quia  impossi- 
bile  est,  and  its  faith  increases  in  proportion  as  it  is  confuted ;  for 
faith  ceases  to  be  faith,  and  becomes  conviction  when  it  rests 
upon  demonstration.  Faith  dwells  in  the  clouds,  demonstration 
on  a  rock. 


An  article  which  appeared  in  the  '  Sun '  in  October 
1797,  elicited  a  letter  of  contradiction  from  the  nephew 
and  heir  of  Sir  Horace  Mann,  and  which  also  explains 
Lord  Orford's  repossession  of  his  own  letters  addressed 
for  so  many  years  to  his  friend  at  Florence. 


46  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES.          [1797 

In  the  SUN  of  2d  October,  1797. 

The  late  Lord  Orford  had  designed  to  publish  his  corre- 
spondence with  the  late  Sir  Horace  Mann,  and  for  this  purpose 
ordered  most  of  his  letters  to  be  transcribed,  making  such  omis- 
sions as  he  thought  proper.  The  originals  were  then  returned 
to  the  present  Sir  Horace  Mann,  who  will  not  permit  the  letters 
to  be  printed,  alleging  that  having  the  originals  in  his  possession 
the  copyright  is  vested  in  himself.  With  this  hiatus,  how- 
ever, the  works  of  Lord  Orford  are  likely  to  make  five  volumes 
in  quarto. 

In  the  SUN  of  4th  October,  1797. 

SIR, — I  must  positively  contradict  a  paragraph  in  your  paper 
in  which  there  is  not  the  slightest  foundation  of  truth.  A  cor- 
respondence for  many  years  subsisted  between  Lord  Orford  and 
Sir  Horace  Mann.  Whenever  I  returned  from  frequent  visits 
into  Italy,  I  brought  with  me  by  Lord  Orford's  express  com- 
mands all  the  letters  he  had  written  to  my  uncle  to  the  period 
of  my  return.  They  were  sealed  up  in  a  packet  and  delivered 
by  me  into  Lord  Orford's  own  hands,  who  gave  an  injunction  that 
no  copy  should  previously  be  taken  of  any  one  of  them.  I  can- 
not therefore  have  it  in  my  power  to  withhold  the  publication, 
or  have  the  least  idea  of  any  copyright  being  vested  in  me,  as 
is  maliciously  represented,  for  the  originals  never  were  returned 
to  me,  nor  can  I  have  the  smallest  claim  to  them.  They  are 
by  Lord  Orford's  will  submitted  to  the  disposal  of  the  most 
honorable  and  intelligent  persons,  whose  understanding  will 
point  out  to  them  what  are  proper  for  publication. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obedient  Servant, 

HORACE  MANN. 

Egerton  Farm,  Maidstone,  Oct.  3, 1797. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  '  Sun.* 


DETACHED  THOUGHTS. 

It  is  said  that  Congreve  had  too  much  wit  in  his  comedies. 
It  is  a  pity  that  no  comic  author  has  had  the  same  fault. 

A  Gothic  cathedral  strikes  one  like  the  enthusiasm  of  poetry ; 
St.  Paul's,  like  the  good  sense  of  prose. 

I  would  never  dispute  about  anything  but  at  law,  for  there 


DETACHED   THOUGHTS.  47 

one  has  as  much  chance  as  another  of  getting  the  better  without 
reason. 

*  Liars  are  like  the  old  writs  of  kings  that  were  signed  Teste 
Meipso,  for  they  have  no  witnesses  but  themselves. 

*  It  is  wrong  to  dispute,  as  one  may  set  out  in  the  wrong, 
and  then  one  is  sure  to  remain  so,  for  one  not  only  grows  heated, 
but  partial  to  one's  own  arguments,  and  then  one  remains  in  the 
wrong. 

*  By  the  throngs  at  places  in  England   where  waters  are 
drunk,  a  foreigner  would  conclude  that  this  is  the  most  un- 
healthy country  in  Europe  ;  but  it  is  a  proof  of  the  reverse,  for 
nine  in  ten  go  thither  from  health  and  spirits,  and  to  dance  and 
game  and  be  diverted,  for  one  who  goes  from  illness. 

A  dead  language  is  the  only  one  that  lives  long,  and  is  unlike 
the  dead,  for  by  being  dead,  it  avoids  corruption. 

*  Indiscreet  persons,  who  say  all  they  think  and  tell  all  they 
know,  put  others  on  their  guard  not  to  trust  to  them. 

In  former  ages  men  were  afraid  of  nothing  but  cowardice. 
Even  riches,  which  now  make  men  fond  of  life  and  consequently 
timid,  then  made  men  brave,  for  everybody  was  forced  to 
defend  his  own  property,  or  the  stronger  would  have  invaded  it. 

*  Most  writers  on  Government  make  a  great  mistake  when 
they  suppose  that  laws  were  made  for  the  benefit  of  society. 
More  laws  have  been  made  for  the  interest  of  individuals  than 
for  the  good  of  the  community.   When  an  individual  has  power 
of  making  laws,  he  makes  them  for  himself  and  against  others. 

Of  all  the  Virtues  Gratitude  has  the  shortest  memory. 

*  Otway  perhaps  took  the  names  of  Castalio  and  Polidore  in 
his  '  Orphan '  from  Castor  and  Pollux. 

There  are  playthings  for  all  ages:  the  plaything  of  old 
people  is  to  talk  of  the  playthings  of  their  youth. 

Man  is  an  aurivorous  animal. 

History  is  a  romance  that  is  believed;  romance,  a  history 
that  is  not  believed. 

Montaigne  pleased  because  he  wrote  what  he  thought — other 
authors  think  what  they  shall  write. 

This  world  is  a  comedy  to  those  who  think,  a  tragedy  to  those 
who  feel. 

*  The  asterisks  indicate  those  '  thoughts '  that  have  not  been  published 
before. 


48  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

Our  Passions  and  our  Understandings  agree  so  ill,  that  they 
resemble  a  Frenchman  of  quality  and  his  wife,  who  tho'  they 
live  in  the  same  house  together,  have  separate  apartments, 
separate  beds,  go  different  ways,  are  seldom  together,  but  are 
very  civil  to  each  other  before  company ;  and  then  the  Passions, 
like  the  lady,  affect  to  have  great  deference  for  their  husband  the 
Understanding. 

*  The  Eeformation  in  England  was  so  short  of  what  it  ought 
to  have  been,  that  in  reality  it  was  only  a  re-formation. 

*  The  line  in  Horace,  Quo  teneam  vultus,  &c.,  might,  if  cor- 
rected in  the  stoppage,  be  applied  to  people  who  frequently 
change  their  principles  ;  thus — 

Quo  teneam  vultus  mutantem  Protea  ? — nodo— by  a  halter. 

It  is  idle  to  attempt  to  talk  a  young  woman  in  love  out  of 
her  passion.  Love  does  not  lie  in  the  ear. 

Whoever  expects  pity  by  complaining  to  his  physician  is  as 
foolish  as  they  who  having  lost  their  money  at  cards  complain 
of  their  ill-luck  to  their  companions  the  winners.  If  none 
were  ill  or  unfortunate,  how  would  physicians  and  gamesters 
get  money? 

Beauty  after  five  and  thirty  is  like  a  forfeited  peerage,  the 
title  of  which  is  given  by  the  courtesy  of  the  well-bred  to  those 
who  have  no  legal  claim  to  it. 

Albano's  boy-angels  and  Cupids  are  all  so  alike,  that  they 
seem  to  have  been  the  children  of  the  Flemish  Countess  who 
was  said  to  be  delivered  of  365  at  a  birth. 

*  A  good  character  is  the  only  wealth  a  man  can  keep  up 
which  will  be  his  after  his  death. 

Persons  extremely  reserved  are  like  old  enamelled  watches, 
which  had  painted  covers  that  hindered  your  seeing  what  o'clock 
it  was. 

Many  new  pieces  please  on  first  reading,  if  they  have  more 
novelty  than  merit.  The  second  time  they  do  not  please,  for 
surprise  has  no  second  part. 

An  author  without  originality  is  like  a  courtier  who  is  always 
dressed  in  the  fashion ;  nobody  minds  the  colour  or  make  of  his 
coat ;  if  it  is  ill-made,  it  is  criticised ;  if  not,  what  can  be  said 
on  it  ?  hundreds  are  dressed  as  well.  Booksellers  and  salesmen 
lay  up  the  book  or  the  coat  the  moment  the  fashion  of  it  is  past, 
till  they  can  sell  either  into  the  country. 


DETACHED   THOUGHTS.  49 

*  Some  faces  change  so  little  that  they  look  as  if  they  had 
been  made  once  for  all. 

If  a  man's  eyes,  ears,  or  memory  decay,  he  ought  to  con- 
clude that  his  understanding  decays  also,  for  the  weaker  it  grows, 
the  less  likely  is  he  to  perceive  it. 

*  Motto  for  Captain  Coram,  who  instituted  the  Foundling 
Hospital : 

Corain  quem  quaeritis,  adsum. 

*  In  the  Bas  Empire,  the  Komans  had  two  parties,  the  Blue 
and  the  Green.     Those  colours  would  be  very  convenient  in  all 
times  when  men  change  sides  so  often.     No  two  colours  are  so 
easily  confounded.     A  man  of  the  blue  party  going  over  to  the 
green  might  pretend  he  had  always  been  of  a  bluish  green. 

*  It  is  probable  that  the  eyes  of  no  two  persons  see  objects 
alike.     Each  object  may  appear  larger  or  smaller,  or  darker  or 
lighter,  or  of  a  different  hue  to  one  man  from  what  it  does  to 
another.     This  may  be  one  of  the  causes  why  some  see  more  or 
less  beauty  in  a  woman  than  others  do;  and  why  some  see 
resemblances  between  two  faces,  that  to  another  do  not  seem  to 
resemble. 

Envy  deserves  pity  more  than  anger,  for  it  hurts  nobody  so 
much  as  itself.  It  is  a  distemper  rather  than  a  vice,  for  nobody 
would  feel  envy  if  he  could  help  it.  Whoever  envies  another, 
secretly  allows  that  person's  superiority. 

*  An  epic  poem  is  a  mixture  of  history  without  truth  and  of 
romance  without  imagination. 

*  Old  persons,  who  are  too  juvenile  for  their  age,  give  no  proof 
so  strong  of  their  loss  of  memory  as  by  not  remembering  that 
they  are  nearer  to  their  second  childhood  than  to  their  first. 

When  flatterers  compliment  kings  for  virtues  that  are  the 
very  reverse  of  their  characters,  they  remind  me  of  the  story  of 
a  little  boy  who  was  apt  to  tell  people  of  any  remarkable  defect 
in  their  persons.  One  day  a  gentleman  who  had  an  extraordi- 
narily large  nose  being  to  dine  with  the  boy's  parents,  his 
mother  charged  him  not  to  say  anything  of  the  gentleman's 
large  nose.  When  he  arrived,  the  child  stared  at  him,  and  then 
turning  to  his  mother  said,  *  Mamma,  what  a  pretty  little  nose 
that  gentleman  has  ! ' 

*  A  woman  in  a  riding  habit  is  something  between  a  man 
and  a  portmanteau. 

VOL.  II.  E 


50  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

Experience  becomes  prescience. 

Nothing  is  more  vain  than  for  a  woman  to  deny  her  age,  for 
she  cannot  deceive  the  only  person  who  cares  about  it — herself. 
If  a  man  dislikes  a  woman  because  he  thinks  her  of  the  age  she 
is,  he  will  only  dislike  her  the  more  for  being  told  that  she  is 
younger  than  she  seems  to  be,  and  consequently  looks  older  than 
she  ought  to  do.  The  Anno  Domini  of  her  face  will  weigh 
more  than  that  of  her  register. 

Censorious  old  women  betray  three  things :  one,  that  they 
have  been  galant ;  the  next,  that  they  can  be  so  no  longer ;  and 
the  third,  that  they  are  always  wishing  they  could  be. 

*  An  old  woman  who  pretends  to  be  religious  and  yet  propa- 
gates scandal  is  the  reverse  of  charity,  which  covers  a  multitude 
of  sins :    She  uncovers  all  she  knows,  or  suspects,  or  invents. 

No  woman  ever  invented  a  new  religion  :  yet  no  new  religion 
would  ever  have  spread  but  for  women.  Cool  heads  invent 
systems,  warm  heads  embrace  them. 

*  The  advantage  of  truth  over  falsehood  is,  that  the  former 
can  never  be  detected. 

Posterity  always  degenerates  till  it  becomes  our  ancestors. 

It  is  unfortunate  to  have  no  master  but  our  own  errors.  If 
we  profit  ever  so  much  under  them,  the  unjust  public  always 
recollect  the  master,  more  than  they  take  notice  of  the  improve- 
ment of  the  scholar. 

*  The  heart  of  man  would  not  bear  to  be  examined  in  a 
microscope. 

Men  are  capable,  often,  of  greater  things  than  they  perform. 
They  are  sent  into  the  world  with  bills  of  credit,  on  which  they 
seldom  draw  to  the  full  extent. 

*  It  is  possible  that  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  may  last  so  long 
that  they  may  come  to  be  supposed  to  be  the  tombs  of  some 
kings  who  are  not  yet  born. 

Motto  for  Congreve's  '  Old  Batchelor  ' : — 

Nolito  front!  credere,  nupsit  heri. — Mart. 


Epic  Poetry  is  the  art  of  being  tiresome  in  verse ;  of  excluding 
half  the  passions,  and  most  of  the  ingredients  that  constitute 
amusement.  It  is  an  Index  Expurgatorius  for  wit ;  a  monopoly 
of  gaping,  and  utter  prohibition  of  laughter.  Nobody  may  joke 
in  an  epic  poem  except  a  god,  and  that  only  upon  some  occasion 


THOUGHTS   ON   GOVERNMENT.  51 

that  is  not  dignus  vindice.  A  hero  may  now  and  then  attempt 
a  sarcasm,  but  then  it  must  be  a  very  clumsy  one.  An  Epic 
Poem  must  be  a  tragedy  that  does  not  make  you  melancholy. 
You  must  not  be  concerned  for  any  person  slain  in  it,  except 
for  a  young  man  or  two,  who  is  introduced  only  to  be  killed. 
The  action  must  be  one :  you  must  be  as  long  as  possible  before 
you  bring  it  about ;  and  whenever  the  catastrophe  is  inevitable, 
you  must  digress  to  something  that  will  make  the  reader  forget 
how  near  you  are  to  the  conclusion.  Above  all  things  you  must 
allow  that  an  Epic  Poem  is  the  most  sublime  work  that  can  be 
achieved ;  you  must  own  that  there  are  not  above  five  or  six 
good  epic  poems  in  the  world,  and  you  must  totally  forget  that 
the  men  who  wrote  them  might,  in  half  the  time  wasted  on 
such  senseless  productions,  have  produced  works  in  other  kinds 
ten  times  more  worthy  of  immortality.  An  Epic  Poem  is  like 
the  Tower  of  Babel,  which  answered  no  end,  and  with  the 
stones  and  labour  bestowed  on  which  might  have  been  built 
many  excellent  fabrics. 

THOUGHTS  ON  GOVERNMENT. 

The  world  is  divided  into  men  of  sense  and  fools,  but  un- 
equally. Strength  is  pretty  near  imparted  alike  to  all ;  but  the 
majority,  having  little  sense,  would  make  an  improper  use  of 
their  strength.  Self-love  being  equal  in  all,  a  man  of  sense 
would  turn  his  strength  to  advantage.  I  do  not  know  whether 
it  was  a  strong  fool,  or  strong  man  of  sense,  that  first  employed 
his  sense  to  render  others  subject  to  him :  probably  the  latter. 
But  all  men  have  sense  enough  to  see  the  inconvenience  of 
being  subject  to  brutal  force.  Men  of  sense,  who  had  not 
strength  enough  to  resist  the  force  of  a  combination  of  fools,  or 
the  artifices  of  sense  endued  with  force,  invented  laws  and  govern- 
ment. For  such  was  certainly  the  origin  of  both,  and  not  that 
silly  idea  of  patriarchal  authority.  It  could  strike  the  common 
sense  of  nobody,  that,  because  a  man  was  fit  to  govern  his  own 
children,  he  was  therefore  fit  to  govern  a  whole  people.  No  man 
is  fit  for  it,  because  no  man  can  do  it  alone.  He  must  have 
ministers,  deputies,  substitutes ;  and  if  they  abuse  their  power, 
all  his  fitness  will  not  enable  him  to  correct  their  errors  or 
crimes.  If  he  punishes  or  removes  them,  he  is  equally  liable  to 
be  mistaken  in  his  choice  of  their  successors. 

E  2 


52  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

Government  being  once  established,  and  accompanied  with 
power,  made  a  new  division  of  mankind  into  knaves  and  fools ; 
in  which  the  latter  were  always  reduced  to  be  imposed  on  and 
governed  by  the  former ;  till  ambition  and  self-love  invented 
Hereditary  Power;  and  ever  since  that  time,  more  fools  have 
enjoyed  royalty  than  wise  men ;  because  artful  men  had  laid 
the  foundations  of  hereditary  power  on  such  solid  ground,  that 
subsequent  artful  men  could  not  remove  them  ;  and  the  number 
of  fools  born  being  greater  than  that  of  wise  men,  there  are  far 
more  foolish  kings  than  wise. 

If  we  believe  that  Government  had  not  this  origin,  but  was 
designed  for  the  benefit  of  mankind,  as  most  say  they  suppose, 
its  present  existence  would  be  more  abhorrent  from  its  institu- 
tion than  the  hypothesis  above.  It  cannot  be  for  the  interest  of 
a  community  that  its  chief  magistrate  should  be  maintained  in 
an  opulence  and  splendour  that  impoverishes  the  greater  part  of 
his  subjects.  It  is  not  for  their  good  that  he  should  have  power 
to  put  to  death,  imprison  or  banish  them,  at  his  will.  It  is  not 
for  their  advantage  that  his  ministers,  officers,  substitutes,  should 
have  like  power  delegated  to  them.  It  is  not  for  their  advan- 
tage that  he  should  have  an  imaginary  honour  and  dignity,  in 
support  of  which  he  should  employ  his  subjects  in  war ;  that  he 
should  have  power  to  expose  them  in  battle  to  revenge  his  per- 
sonal quarrels,  or  indulge  his  ambition.  All  these  and  a  thou- 
sand more  are  absurd  prerogatives,  and  not  only  not  for  the 
benefit  of  the  community,  but  to  their  great  detriment.  Pre- 
rogatives affected  to  the  Crown,  and  for  the  sole  advantage  of 
the  wearer  of  it,  and  prejudicial  to  its  subjects,  are  contradic- 
tions totally  repugnant  to  the  idea  of  a  good  government,  and 
ipso  facto  annihilate  it.  An  army  greater  than  is  necessary  to 
defend  the  country  from  invasion  and  oppression  by  a  foreign 
enemy,  is  destructive  of  the  good  of  that  country ;  not  only  as 
it  may  invade  its  liberty,  but  as  it  employs  too  many  men  who 
might  be  more  usefully  employed. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  man,  that  a  king  had  rather  reign  over 
vast  solitudes  than  over  a  small  free  nation.  Conquest  is  the 
blackest  crime  against  society,  because  no  man  has  a  right  to 
force  any  number  of  men  to  be  his  subjects :  I  mean  by  con- 
quest, the  ambition  of  acquiring  dominions  to  which  a  king 
has  no  right.  It  is  a  crime  both  to  the  invaded,  and  to  those 


PLAN   FOR   ENCOURAGING   PAINTING.  53 

whom  he  leads  to  invasion.     And  every  man  that  falls  in  the 
quarrel  is  murd'ered  by  the  king. 

A  king  that  violates  the  laws  of  his  country,  and  is  expelled 
or  dethroned  by  his  subjects,  is  not  less  guilty  if  he  attempts  to 
recover  his  crown  by  force.  All  nations  have  a  right  to  prescribe 
the  terms  on  which  they  choose  to  be  governed  ;  and  if  the  king 
has  sworn  to  conform  to  those  laws,  and  does  not  keep  his  oath, 
he  is  a  criminal  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word. 

Any  endeavour  of  extending  his  power  beyond  the  laws  of 
which  he  is  king,  is  a  violation  of  those  laws,  and  he  deserves 
to  be  punished.  To  support  him  in  his  attempts  is  treason 
against  the  community. 

No  nation  can  make  laws  for  posterity  without  posterity 
having  equal  right  to  repeal  them.  No  man  can  be  born  with 
a  right  to  oppress  others.  No  man  is  of  a  nature  superior 
to  other  men.  He  is  as  fallible  as  they.  A  crown  gives  no 
superior  virtue  or  wisdom  ;  but  it  demands  more  of  both ; 
because  a  king,  who  is  only  a  chief  magistrate,  ought  to  have 
virtue  and  wisdom  not  only  to  govern  but  to  set  an  example  to 
his  people.  His  vices  are  more  detrimental  than  those  of  a 
private  man ;  and  a  vicious  king  weakens  the  laws,  which  are 
made  to  discountenance  as  well  as  to  punish  vice.  An  ambitious, 
an  avaricious,  or  a  prodigal  king  encourages  those  vices  in  his 
ministers  and  in  his  people  by  his  example  ;  and  if  he  punishes 
those  vices  in  others  which  he  practises  himself,  he  is  unjust.  He 
is  bound  not  only  to  be  virtuous  himself,  but  to  choose  virtuous 
men  for  his  ministers  and  servants ;  for  as  he  cannot  himself 
execute  all  the  duties  of  his  magistracy,  he  is  responsible  for 
those  to  whom  he  delegates  his  power.  The  most  virtuous  king 
is  obliged  to  take  care  that  he  tolerates  no  vicious  persons  about 
him,  and,  if  he  is  really  virtuous,  he  will  tolerate  none.  A  vir- 
tuous king  may  have  a  hypocritic,  but  never  will  have  a  profligate 
court.  He  is  a  judge  of  men's  outward  professions,  if  not  of 
their  hearts.  The  appearances  of  virtue  will  have  some  effects ; 
those  of  profligacy  can  have  none. 


PLAN    FOR    ENCOURAGING    PAINTING. 

It  is  a  common  complaint  that  in  England  there  is  little 
or  no  encouragement  for  historic  painting;  and  it  is  almost 
as  common  an  answer,  that  as  historic  pictures  are  seldom 


54  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES.          [1735 

admitted  into  churches,  and  as  our  churches  have  each  but  one 
altar,  there  are  few  public  places  fitted  to  receive  large  pieces. 
The  first  objection  might  be  removed  in  some  degree  by  the 
following  plan  ;  and  the  second  is  not  only  not  true,  but  proper 
spaces  will  be  pointed  out  by  the  same  plan. 

Many  funds  for  historic  paintings  might  be  pointed  out  with 
small  inconvenience  to  the  contributors.  Suppose  every  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  was  obliged  to  pay  3001.  within  three 
years  after  his  promotion  to  the  see,  or  rather  one  hundred  each 
year,  for  only  the  three  first  years,  which  at  his  grace's  option 
should  either  go  to  a  fund  for  furnishing  historic  pictures  on 
scriptural  or  historic  English  subjects,  or  should  pay  for  one 
picture  on  such  a  subject,  which  picture  should  be  placed  in 
the  palace  at  Lambeth,  and  always  remain  there. 

The  Archbishop  of  York  should  in  the  same  space  of  three 
years  pay  2001.  in  like  manner  for  the  archiepiscopal  palace  in 
Yorkshire. 

The  Bishops  of  London,  Durham,  and  Winchester,  2501. 
for  the  ornament  of  their  palaces.  Ely  and  Worcester,  2001. 
Other  bishops  less  in  proportion  to  their  incomes. 

Thence  their  palaces,  naked  as  they  are,  and  stripped  on 
every  death,  would  still  have  some  decoration,  and  the  arts 
would  spread  into  the  counties. 

Every  bishop  should  pay  the  sum  allotted,  if  he  remain  three 
years  before  translated.  And  if  translated,  after  three  years, 
be  should  pay  again,  being  translated  to  a  better  see. 

The  Lord  Chancellor  should  in  like  manner  pay  3001.  if 
continued  in  office  three  years,  or  1001.  for  each  that  he  did 
remain.  The  picture  paid  for  by  him,  or  by  a  fund  from  the 
following  years,  should  represent  some  English  historic  subject, 
some  memorable  sera  of  the  Constitution,  or  some  remarkable 
trial  or  cause ;  and  the  picture  should  be  hung  in  the  Court  of 
Kequests,  in  the  Painted  or  Princes  Chambers. 

The  Chief  Justices,  being  for  life,  should  pay  3001. ;  the 
Chief  Baron  and  Master  of  the  Eolls,  2001.  each ;  the  Attorney 
and  Solicitor  Generals,  2001.  each,  if  remaining  in  place  three 
years,  or  in  proportion.  The  pictures  on  the  subjects  and  for 
the  like  positions. 

The  Speakers  of  the  Houses,  2001.  each,  if  three  years  in 
office;  the  subjects  like  the  former,  or  on  any  memorable 
debates. 


1785]  PLAN    FOR   ENCOURAGING    PAINTING.  55 

The  First  Lord  of  the  Treasury,  being  of  very  uncertain 
tenure,  should  only  pay  IOOL  a  year,  according  to  his  duration, 
and  never  after  three  years. 

The  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty  to  contribute  in  the  same 
manner. 

The  pictures  furnished  by  the  Treasurers,  to  adorn  the  Trea- 
sury, and  when  that  full,  the  House  in  Downing  Street.  The 
subjects,  English  historic. 

The  Admirals,  naval  engagements,  &c.,  for  the  Admiralty. 

The  two  Secretaries  of  State,  and  other  great  officers  might 
be  taxed  in  proportion,  and  the  Palaces  of  St.  James's  or  Ken- 
sington be  adorned  by  their  contributions. 

No  contributor  should  be  allowed  to  give  his  own  portrait  in 
lieu  of  an  historic  picture. 

Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  have  all  the  contributions  go  to 
a  separate  fund  for  each  class,  and  be  laid  out  whenever  a  proper 
subject  was  fixed  on,  and  a  price  agreed  on  of  300L,  400/.,  or 
5001.  according  to  the  size  of  the  picture,  and  merit  and  price 
of  the  painter. 

A  standing  committee  to  fix  on  the  subjects,  and  regulate  the 
prices  and  dimensions.  The  costume  of  every  age  in  every 
picture  to  be  strictly  observed. 

The  City  of  London  might  find  some  similar  methods  for 
decorating  the  Mansion  House  and  Company  Halls. 

Feb.  9, 1785. 

THOUGHTS  ON  THE  REIGN  OF  GEOKGE  III. 

Few  reigns  in  our  annals  have  been  distinguished  by  so  many 
changes  of  administration  as  that  of  George  III.  James  I.  very 
frequently  in  the  latter  part  of  his  time  displaced  Ministers, 
particularly  his  High  Treasurers ;  but  they  never  were  his  Prime 
Ministers :  they  were  promoted  or  removed  by  the  caprices  of 
his  rash  and  presumptuous  young  favourite,  the  Duke  of  Buck- 
ingham. King  William,  as  wise  as  James  and  George  were 
foolish,  was  forced  to  change  his  administrations  by  the  factious 
struggles  of  the  Whigs  and  Tories,  the  latter  of  whom  were  his 
enemies,  and  the  former  unsteady  friends.  George,  aiming  at  no- 
thing but  personal  power,  and  sacrificing  the  dignity  of  his  crown, 
the  interest  of  his  kingdoms,  and  frequently  his  own  peace  to 


56  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

accomplish  that  sole  object,  could  bear  no  Minister  who  would 
not  be  a  tool,  and  removed  every  man,  when  he  could,  who  was 
fit  to  be  his  servant.  He  commenced  his  reign  by  disgusting 
Mr.  Pitt,  who  had  raised  Great  Britain  to  a  height  of  glory  it 
had  never  before  attained,  and  who,  tho'  far  more  ostentatious 
than  solid,  had  endeared  himself  to  the  nation  by  fortunate 
rashness,  and,  which  was  of  still  more  importance,  had  struck 
terror  into  all  our  enemies.  This  great  man  was  driven  away 
to  make  room  for  a  wretch  who,  with  as  much  vanity  as  Mr. 
Pitt,  and  resembling  him  in  no  one  essential,  and  whom  the 
King  himself  had  grown  to  hate,  before  he  raised  him  to  the 
head  of  the  administration,  sweeping  away  in  the  same  breath 
that  ridiculous  and  impotent  veteran,  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
who  had  had  the  address  to  engross  much  power  during  the 
administration  of  Sir  K.  Walpole,  who  did  not  love  him, 
and  knew  himself  betrayed  by  him,  and  who  associated 
himself  with  Mr.  Pitt,  during  the  plenitude  of  the  latter's 
power.  Lord  Bute's  pusillanimity  anticipated  his  incapacity, 
and  he  fled  from  his  post  before  he  had  time  to  show 
how  totally  he  was  unfit  for  it.  A  momentary  triumvirate  of 
Lord  Egremont,  Lord  Halifax,  and  Mr.  George  Grenville 
stepped  into  the  vacancy,  because  no  system  was  ready,  and 
because  the  King  had  a  predilection  for  nobody.  These  men, 
mistaking  chance  for  abilities  in  themselves,  neither  ingratiated 
themselves  with  the  King,  nor  would  condescend  to  pay  court 
to  the  self-dethroned  favourite,  who,  from  habitude,  retained 
more  of  the  royal  confidence  than  any  other  man,  and  who  had 
hoped  to  find  substitutes  who  might  at  once  stand  between  him 
and  the  danger  of  responsibility,  and  who  would  submit  to  be 
actuated  by  his  influence.  Finding  himself  disappointed,  he 
had  the  folly  to  fly  to  the  man  whose  power  he  had  usurped, 
Lord  Chatham,  who  would  not  have  been  implacable  if  the 
King  had  not  already  conceived  the  idea  of  employing  no  man 
who  would  not  stoop  to  be  a  cypher.  The  mutual  intrac- 
tability of  His  Majesty  and  Lord  Chatham  vested  the  sole  power 
in  Mr.  Grrenville,  who  had  many  ingredients  that  fitted  him 
for  the  place  of  Minister,  but  wanted  as  many  to  make  him  a 
Great  Minister,  and  more  that  would  suit  the  temper,  views,  and 
insincerity  of  the  King.  Grenville  was  firm,  intrepid,  daring ; 
he  was  also  immeasurably  obstinate,  avaricious  for  himself,  and 


THOUGHTS  ON  THE  KE1GX  OF  GEORGE  III.      57 

triflingly  penurious  for  the  revenue.  He  was  tedious,  un- 
gracious, implacable ;  and  not  content  with  seeking  every 
opportunity  of  being  revenged  on  the  nominal  favourite,  he 
refused  the  King  inconsiderable  sums  for  his  amusement,  and 
teased  him  for  unreasonable  grants  to  himself.  Is  it  necessary 
to  say  that  want  of  judgment  crowned  all  his  bad  qualities  ? 
At  the  moment  that  he  had  raised  a  convulsion  in  America  by 
his  offensive  Stamp  Act,  his  hatred  to  the  favourite  induced  him 
to  join  in  a  public  insult  to  the  King's  mother.  Such  conduct 
had  its  natural  consequence.  Grenville  was  disgraced,  and  Lord 
Chatham  being  betrayed  by  his  friend,  Lord  Temple,  who  had 
chosen  that  conjuncture  to  be  reconciled  to  his  brother  Gren- 
ville, again  refused  the  administration,  which  the  King,  from 
having  no  choice  left,  was  forced  to  put  into  the  hands  of  Lord 
Rockingham,  who,  disdaining  to  be  the  lieutenant  of  the  nominal 
favourite,  and  proscribing  the  King's  secret  tools,  who  in  reality 
had  the  confidence  which  the  favourite  only  seemed  to  possess, 
the  new  administration  was  suffered  to  remain  but  a  single  year, 
and  Lord  Chatham  was  once  more  called  to  power,  and  accepted 
it,  tho'  with  scarce  an  adherent  left. 

Never  was  a  greater  fall !  That  wild  intoxication  which, 
seconded  by  fortune,  had  been  so  happily  applied  to  military 
Quixotism,  was  by  no  means  adapted  to  the  sobriety  of  peaceful 
councils.  Whether  the  insanity  remained,  when  the  fire  of 
adventure  had  subsided,  or  whether,  conscious  of  his  own  defects, 
he  preferred  the  imputation  of  disordered  intellects  to  the  con- 
fession of  incapacity,  Lord  Chatham  had  scarce  resumed  his  power 
before  he  totally  suspended  the  exercise  of  it,  and,  which  indeed 
was  rather  an  evidence  of  delirium,  he  retained  his  superin- 
tendence, tho'  he  obstinately  refused  to  officiate. 

The  nation  had  for  some  years  beheld,  or  thought  it  descried, 
a  real  Minister  behind  the  curtain,  who  interposed  his  credit 
without  holding  an  office.  Here  was  the  reverse — a  Minister  in 
whose  name  all  business  was  transacted,  but  who  would  exercise 
no  part  of  his  function. 

From  so  strange  a  position  arose  the  authority  of  the  Duke 
of  Grafton.  He  had  been  delegated  by  Lord  Chatham,  who 
sullenly  saw  him  grow  Minister  from  the  exigence  of  the  mo- 
ment, and  who  still  would  neither  be  consulted  by  him  nor 
forgave  him  for  acting  without  his  orders. 


58  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

Grrafton  proved  a  Minister  after  the  King's  own  heart.  No 
merit,  no  talents  had  recommended  him ;  he  was  indolent ;  his 
Lad  temper  created  no  adherents ;  his  pride  was  unsocial,  and 
he  was  content  to  be  prompted  by  the  secret  Junto.  His 
behaviour,  his  negligence,  and  the  variations  in  his  ill-humour, 
occasioned  such  universal  discontent,  that  even  the  prerogative 
majority  in  the  House  of  Commons  was  shaken,  and,  subservient 
as  the  Minister  was,  the  King's  influence  grew  into  as  great 
danger  as  if  his  Minister  had  been  formidable  to  himself.  It 
is  probable  that  the  Junto  instilled  a  panic  into  the  Duke  him- 
self, tho'  they  were  by  no  means  satisfied  that  they  were  provided 
with  an  adequate  successor.  Lord  North,  the  Duke's  second, 
was  tried,  and  more  than  repaired  the  breach. 

With  as  much  indolence  as  Graft-on,  North  had  infinitely 
more  parts,  an  excellent  temper,  an  amiable  private  character, 
most  conciliating  sociability,  never-failing  wit,  and  a  steady  reso- 
lution of  pliancy  to  all  his  Majesty's  prejudices.  This  inveterate 
submission,  most  commonly  in  contradiction  to  his  own  judgment, 
proved  his  ruin.  Acquiescence  in  all  the  worst  measures  of  the 
American  War,  and  negligence  in  the  execution  of  them  all, 
awakened  even  the  prostitute  majority  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
The  royal  perseverance  in  that  odious  and  impolitic  war,  and 
Lord  North's  compliance  with  his  master's  infatuation,  cost  the 
one  America,  and  the  other  his  post  of  Prime  Minister. 

If  Lord  Shelburne  could  have  waited  to  undermine  Lord 
Eockingham,  or  to  wait  for  his  death,  which  was  imminent,  he 
might  have  reduced  the  King  to  the  necessity  of  submitting  to 
the  spirit  of  the  Constitution ;  but  Shelburne  was  impatient  to 
be  Minister,  and  liked  to  become  so  by  treachery  rather  than 
by  patience.  He  broke  the  party  to  pieces,  by  transacting  a 
settlement  with  the  King  rather  than  with  his  allies,  and  by 
that  means  succeeded  Lord  Eockingham,  who  died  in  two 
months.  But,  having  undermined  his  own  ground,  Shelburne 
had  no  strength  but  what  the  King  should  please  to  impart  to 
him  ;  nor  did  that  weight  suffice  against  his  own  folly  and  false- 
hood, which,  by  the  beginning  of  next  year,  overset  him.  The 
King's  anguish  was  inexpressible,  not  at  losing  Shelburne,  whom 
he  both  hated  and  despised,  but  at  being  forced  to  accept  an 
administration  of  honest,  able  men,  whom  he  could  not  bend  to 
his  own  purposes.  He  offered  the  Treasury  to  the  boy  Pitt,  who 


THOUGHTS  ON  THE  REIGN  OF  GEORGE  III.      59 

in  the  compass  of  five  days  twice  accepted  it  and  twice  had  not 
courage  to  undertake  it, — a  want  of  spirit  that  it  cost  him  nine 
months  to  surmount. 

The  Duke  of  Portland,  enforced  by  the  matchless  abilities  of 
Mr.  Fox,  became  Minister,  and  commenced  a  system  that  pro- 
mised reparation  to  many  of  the  evils  inflicted  on  this  country 
by  the  fatal  measures  of  the  reign.  But  Mr.  Fox  daring  to 
attack  that  detestable  incorporation  of  harpies,  the  East  India 
Company,  and  its  servants,  or  rather  its  masters,  the  King  per- 
ceived that  the  worst  enemies  of  this  country  were  now  presented 
to  him  as  most  useful  allies,  and  therefore,  adopting  their  fears 
and  vengeance,  and  borrowing  their  plunder  in  aid  of  his  own 
exhausted  treasury,  he  at  once  dismissed  his  new  Ministers,  and 
threw  himself  into  the  hands  of  Lord  Temple,  almost  as  young 
and  inexperienced  as  Pitt,  but,  fortunately  for  the  latter,  a 
greater  coward.  Lord  Temple  fled  the  very  moment  that  he 
had  lent  himself  to  the  removal  of  the  Ministers,  and  Pitt,  whose 
presumption  had  sighed  for  nine  months  over  his  last  faint- 
heartedness, catched  at  a  third  offer  of  power,  and  determined 
to  varnish  over  his  timidity  by  excess  of  insolence  and  abuse 
of  those  who  had  had  more  spirit  than  himself,  and  a  much 
greater  degree  of  spirit,  for  they  knew  they  could  not  trust  the 
King,  and  Pitt  was  sure  of  his  support  as  long  as  he  was  sub- 
servient. 

That  ground  he  secured  by  open  prostitution  of  his  former 
professions,  declaring  himself  the  Minister  of  the  Crown.  On 
that  foundation  he  stands  at  present,  and  finds  it  a  pedestal 
which  his  extreme  ignorance  has  not  as  yet  been  able  to  over- 
turn, tho'  defeated,  forced  to  abandon,  or  to  correct,  every 
measure  he  has  hitherto  attempted. 

He  must  continue  to  support  and  extend  prerogative,  or  he 
will  be  sacrificed  by  the  King.  If  his  abilities  prove  equal  to 
the  task  of  enlarging  the  power  of  the  Crown,  he  will  have  the 
glory  of  being  an  able  Minister  at  the  most  premature  age,  but 
instead  of  being  remembered,  like  his  father,  for  glorious  services, 
he  will  be  contrasted  with  him,  and  paralleled  with  Cardinal 
Richelieu. 

From  this  slight  view  or  sketch,  it  is  obvious  that  every 
disgrace  and  misfortune  that  has  fallen  on  the  King  has  pro- 
ceeded from  only  those  Ministers  whom  he  himself  approved. 


60  H.  WALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES.          [1779 

By  removing  Lord  Chatham,  Lord  Bute  was  enabled  to  strike 
up  the  shameful  Peace  of  Paris,  which  saved  France  and  enabled 
her  to  support  the  Americans.  By  the  compliance  of  Lord 
North,  war  was  made  on  America.  By  the  courtly  treachery  of 
•Lord  Shelburne,  the  American  Royalists  were  abandoned ;  and 
by  Pitt's  ambition,  Mr.  Fox's  India  Bill  was  prevented,  which 
France  regarded  as  the  most  fatal  blow  she  could  receive.  By 
Mr.  Pitt's  dread  of  a  Reform  of  Parliament  in  Ireland,  his  eleven 
propositions  were  conceived,  which  are  likely  to  divest  the  King 
of  his  sovereignty  over  Ireland,  almost  as  much  as  he  has  lost 
it  over  America. 

Upon  the  whole,  both  the  Crown  and  Great  Britain  have  lost 
their  dearest  interests  by  the  King's  ambition  of  extending  his 
prerogative.  He  has  sunk  to  be  a  little  Prince  in  Europe ;  and 
the  loss  of  dominions  and  credit  will  be  ill  compensated  to  his 
successors  by  any  domestic  jewels  he  may  ravish  from  the  Con- 
stitution. When  Louis  XL,  the  most  detested  of  the  French 
monarchs,  placed  the  Crown  hors  de  page,  he  at  the  same  time 
extended  the  bounds  of  his  empire ;  and  if  he  was  an  odious 
tyrant,  was  at  least  not  a  contemptible  politician. 

June  14;  1785.  

I  have  extreme  contempt  for  an  anonymous  writer,  who 
betrays  consciousness  of  guilt  by  concealing  himself,  and  who 
has  been  so  foolish  as  to  take  ridiculous  pains  to  verify  what  I 
never  denied,  and  so  mean  as  to  ascertain  my  handwriting  and 
disguise  his  own.  He  shows  a  willingness  to  stab  in  the  dark, 
but  luckily  possesses  no  sharper  a  weapon  than  a  broom-stick, 
with  which  he  has  clumsily  knocked  himself  down,  to  my  great 
diversion. 


LIFE  OF  RENE  OF  ANJOU, 

KING   OF  NAPLES. 

Feb.  1,  1779. 

The  courage  that  would  constitute  a  hero  may,  if  unaccom- 
panied by  proper  symbols,  form  only  a  philosopher,  in  the  eye 
of  common  acceptation.  Ambition,  love  of  glory,  activity,  per- 
severance, recommend  the  former.  Contempt  of  danger,  indif- 
ference to  fame,  resignation  to  misfortune,  indicate  as  firm  a 


1779]  LIFE   OF   REXE   OF   AXJOU.  61 

soul ;  but  courting,  soliciting  no  applause,  are  seldom  honoured 
with  the  suffrages  of  the  multitude.  When  boundless  humanity, 
or  even  success,  crown  the  temperate  hero,  he  attains  the  more 
amiable  titles  of  philosopher  and  father  of  his  country,  but 
is  rarely  placed  amongst  the  favourites  of  noisy  celebrity. 
Marcus  Aurelius  is  scarce  known  as  an  intrepid  general,  for  he 
fought  to  protect  his  country,  not  to  aggrandize  himself.  Henry 
the  Fourth  of  France,  as  brave  as  the  first  Caesar,  is  more  adored 
as  a  man  than  as  a  victor,  for  he  sheathed  the  sword  the  moment 
he  had  conquered  in  a  just  cause. 

Eene  of  Anjou,  of  whom  history  has  recorded  no  symptom  of 
want  of  courage,  and  on  whom  his  subjects  conferred  the  most 
desirable  of  all  appellations,  the  Good,  from  the  dawn  to  the 
conclusion  of  a  long  reign;  having  lost  splendid  crowns,  and 
retaining  only  a  province,  with  which  he  had  the  wisdom  to  be 
contented,  has  been  distinguished  by  no  panegyrics,  and  is  rather 
considered  as  a  pusillanimous  prince,  who  submitted  to  reverses, 
and  who,  without  struggling  against  impossibilities,  preferred 
his  ease,  his  pleasures,  his  amusements,  and  (it  should  be  re- 
membered) the  happiness  of  his  remaining  subjects,  to  the 
tormenting  efforts  of  disappointed  and  unsatisfied  ambition. 
He  lost  crowns,  he  lost  his  son,  he  saw  his  daughter  dethroned, — 
but  he  never  lost  his  temper.  His  people,  his  wives,  his  mis- 
tresses, his  natural  children,  his  muse,  his  pencil,  nay,  the 
institution  of  festivals,  and  the  laws  of  heraldry,  consoled  him 
for  the  more  painful  duties  of  royalty  that  were  torn  from  him, 
but  not  till  he  had  bravely  defended  them ;  and  unlike  hun- 
dreds of  trifling  monarchs,  he  sank  not  into  an  inglorious  prince 
till  he  had  deserved  to  be  a  puissant  and  illustrious  one.  That 
mind  is  noble,  which,  like  Scipios',  can  sport  with  pebbles  on  the 
shore  after  demolishing  Carthage,  or  that,  like  Kene's,  can  adjust 
the  ceremonial  of  tournaments  after  losing  battles  and  sceptres. 
Never  to  forget  the  pomp  of  triumph  nor  the  sting  of  defeat,  is 
the  symptom  of  pride,  or  of  obstinacy,  or  of  conscious  shame. 
The  true  hero  is  satisfied  with  having  served  his  country ;  the 
true  philosopher  with  having  done  his  duty.  Their  minds  are 
then  at  leisure  to  be  private  men :  'and  to  be  able  to  trifle  is  to 
prove  that  they  are  sincere. 


62  H.    WALPOLE'S   MISCELLANEOUS    PIECES. 

Letter  to  Mr.  H.  S.  Wood/all. 

gIEj — Strolling  by  chance  lately  into  a  public  house,  the 
landlord  showed  me  the  following  lines,  with  which  he  was 
much  transported,  and  wished  to  get  them  set  to  music.  They 
were  written  by  an  apprentice  who  frequents  his  house,  and 
whom  mine  host  extolled  above  Churchill  and  Falstaff,  the 
latter  of  whom  he  takes  for  a  poet.  As  there  is  something  very 
original  in  this  little  piece — at  least  genuine  strokes  of  nature 
— I  thought  it  might  not  be  unacceptable  to  many  of  your 
readers. 

Yours,  J.  Gr. 

THE  JOYS  OF  SPKING. 
A  new  song. 

Returned  is  the  spring, 
And  the  nightingales  sing : 

My  Phillis  and  I 

To  the  country  will  hie, 
Where  we'll  revel  and  love, 
Like  the  blackbird  and  dove. 
Nature  calls  us  abroad, 
And  on  one  side  the  road, 

At  the  Saracen's  head 
In  a  snug  little  arbour  a  napkin  is  spread. 

Charming  scenes ! 

Peas  and  beans ! 

Union  of  hearts, 

And  gooseberry  tarts ! 

On  cool  tankard  and  cyder  and  cream  we  regale, 
And  mix  kisses  and  squeezes  with  cakes  and  ale : 
Till  with  Bacchus  and  Cupid  at  length  overcome, 
We  trudge  home  and  all  night  sleep  as  sound  as  a  drum. 

In  joys  like  these  O !  let  me  live, 
Which  rural  life  alone  can  give. 
Nor  ambition  nor  riches  intrigue  us  : 
The  Golden  Age 
Contents  the  sage : 
His  highest  view 
But  reaches  to 
His  Phillis,  a  haycock,  and  negus. 


1758]  DRYDEN   AND    POPE.  63 

In  Wright's  original '  Theory  of  the  Universe,'  are  the  follow- 
ing lines,  quoted  by  accident  from  Dryden  and  Pope  : — 

Had  we  still  paid  that  homage  to  a  name, 

Which  only  God  and  Nature  justly  claim  ; 

The  western  seas  had  been  our  utmost  bound, 

Where  poets  still  might  dream  the  sun  was  drown'd  ; 

And  all  the  stars  that  shine  in  southern  skies 

Had  been  admired  by  none  but  savage  eyes. — Dryden. 

He  who  through  vast  immensity  can  pierce, 

See  worlds  on  worlds  compose  one  universe, 

Observe  how  system  into  system  runs, 

What  other  planets  and  what  other  suns, 

What  varied  Being  peoples  every  star, 

May  tell  why  Heaven  made  all  things  as  they  are. — Pope. 

The  comparison  of  these  lines  shows  that  Dryden  was  a  poet 
by  nature,  Pope  by  art.  Dryden  might  have  said  in  prose 
what  he  has  said  in  rhyme,  and  yet  there  would  have  been 
harmony  in  his  numbers.  In  the  five  first  lines  of  Pope  there 
is  fine  poetry,  but  no  mortal  could  have  spoken  so  in  prose. 
The  sixth  line  is  mere  prose,  with  no  harmony  at  all.  Dryden's 
thoughts,  tho'  expressed  in  common  words,  fell  into  music. 
Pope  was  forced  to  use  transposition  and  less  common  words 
to  prevent  his  thoughts  from  appearing  in  prose. 


Letter  and  Verses  to  the  Honourable  H.  Conway. 

February,  1758. 

I  am  this  minute  arrived,  and  going  to  dine  at  Brand's.  I 
will  come  to  you  afterwards,  before  I  go  to  North  House.  In 
the  meantime  I  send  you  a  most  hasty  performance,  literally 
conceived  and  executed  between  Hammersmith  and  Hyde  Park 
Corner.  The  Lord  knows  if  it  is  not  sad  stuff.  I  wish  for  the 
sake  of  the  subject  it  were  better! 

When  Fontenoy's  impurpled  plain 
Shall  vanish  from  th'  historic  page, 

Thy  youthful  valour  shall  in  vain 

Have  taught  the  Gaul  to  shun  thy  rage. 


H.  TTALPOLE'S  MISCELLANEOUS  PIECES. 

When  hostile  squadrons  round  thee  stood 
On  Laffelt's  unsuccessful  field, 

Thy  captive  sabre,  drench'd  in  blood, 
The  Taunting  victor's  triumph  seaTd. 

Forgot  be  these!  Let  Scotland,  too, 
Culloden  from  her  annals  tear, 

Lest  Envy  and  her  factious  crew 

nhmiH  sigh  to  meet  thy  laurels  there. 

When  each  fair  deed  is  thus  defac'd, 
A  thousand  virtues,  too,  disgiuVd, 

Thy  grateful  country* s  voice  shall  haste 
To  censure  worth  30  little  priz'd. 

Thou,  patient,  hear  the  thunder  roll, 
Pity  the  blind  you  cannot  hate ; 

Nor,  blest  with  Aristides"  soul, 
Repine  at  Aristides*  fate. 


The  following  passageT  with  its  accompanying  verses, 
are  afl  in  Lord  OrforxTs  handwriting,  though  not  signed 
l>v  him  :  — 

•f 

Lord  BoKngbroke  wrote  these  lines  of  Maynard,  at  his  house 
of  La  Source  in  France  :  — 

La»  d'espeia-  et  de  me  pbrindre 


and  rnnipLnnmj, 
Of  longs  tbat  ragn  or  sboold  be  reignia^, 
Without  m  wiA  I  wsrit  demih  hoB— 
And,  as  Fm  afc^  wit  &oai  a  fear. 

Ofreid  Wood,  and  trahor  in  Ins  bent, 
Bat  fenr'd  by  infra*  to  the  wiaer  part, 
Indian^U  be  rfrift*  be  principle*,  thai  bum 
To  ap  tbe  laws  be  could  not  overturn. 
Bat  Natne  planting  coward  in  bis  sooi, 
To  XortomT*  bands  be  traste  the  pouoo'd  bowl; 
Content  hum  EnghnTs  fidl  to  coont  MBgnan^ 
Wbetber  a  Branmrie  or  s  Stnrt  ie%M. 


70    ^TL^-TH^H:    Z*1I_  r '"• 


To  all  the  readers  of  Horace  Walpole's  letters  the 
name  of  Thomas  Kirwate  is  most  familiar.  He  was  often 
the  humble  instrument  of  communication,  between  his 
employer  and  his  numerous  correspondents,  and  gave  to 
the  world  the  fruits  of  the  well-known  Strawberry  Hill 
Press  ;  but  whether  from  carelessness,  or  from  an  inade- 
quate idea  of  his  necessities,  it  seems  to  be  a  melancholy 
feet  that  he  was  not  sufficiently  provided  for  by  wOl; 
and  the  '  Printer's  Farewell  '  carries  with  it  a  touching 
reproof  that  thirty  years'  service  was  not  better  remem- 
bered. He  died  in  1820. 


THE  PRINTER'S  FAREWELL  TO  STRAWBERRY 

Adieu!  re  giores  and  Gothic  txnr  is, 
Whew  I  ••••••£  My  yoBMral  boon, 

Alas!  InBdiBTaia*: 
SMB  he  who  coold  BIT  age  protect, 

Fix  left  BM  to  eomhon  ! 


For  thirty  Teara  at 

To  Mat  •Bckaif}*  reward  at  feat, 

Hat  added  to  aj  !••; 
To  <pdt  the  quiet  scenes  of  fife, 

Farewell  f  my  pnDtxnf-howe.  CnvwcD  ! 
Where  I  BO  man  shall  eahvhr  dvefl, 
WiAia  BIT  peacefid  door: 

Enjoj  BIT  fixnd  and  ap  anr  tea  ; 
Ah!  BO;  those  days  are  o'er. 

OB  Aee,  BW  feflow-lab  «r  dear, 
XT  Pms,  f  drop  the  alert  tear 


T.  K. 


For  than,  like  me,  bj  aaw  art  won, 
Like  BM,  too,  tho«  art  kftakkEB, 


VOL.  IL 


66  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTEES.  [1798 


MISCELLANEOUS  LETTEES. 

1798. 

ENTEY. 

'  MES.  D.  and  Lady  Ailesbury  settle  at  Strawberry  Hill. 
Become  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Howe.'  * 

In  the  month  of  January  Miss  Berry  received  a  letter 
from  their  friend  Mr.  Brand. j*  After  announcing  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Deborah  Wharton,  daughter  of  Dr.  W., 
of  Old  Park,  Durham,  he  adds  : — 

Lady  Ossory,  to  alleviate  my  confinement  in  a  very  bad  cold, 
has  treated  me  with  Lord  Orford's  letters  to  her,  tho'  in  a  very 
mutilated  transcript,  and  desired  my  opinion  about  their  publi- 
cation. I  advised  that  they  should  be  kept  in  the  family  as 
an  invaluable  treasure  rather  than  be  published  in  this  manner, 
but  thought  many  of  them  so  well  written  and  so  interesting  at 
the  present  moment  (some  from  Paris  especially),  that  I  could 
not  help  wishing  to  see  them  printed  in  Mr.  Berry's  collection. 
I  was  glad  to  find  afterwards  that  Lord  Ossory  and  most  of  her 
friends  were  against  publishing  the  collection  as  it  stood.  I 
am  to  dine  there  on  Wednesday  and  to  bring  you  a  message 
when  I  come  to  town.  The  message,  I  guess,  may  be  the  offer 
of  some  of  the  letters.  Can  I  be  of  any  service  in  this  business 

*  The  Honourable  Caroline  Howe,  married  John  Howe  of  Branslop,  Bucks; 
died  June  1814,  in  her  ninety-third  year.  She  possessed  an  extraordinary 
force  of  mind,  clearness  of  understanding,  and  remarkable  powers  of  thought 
and  combination.  She  retained  these  faculties  unimpaired  to  the  great  age 
of  eighty-five,  by  exercising  them  daily,  both  in  the  practice  of  mathematics 
and  in  reading  the  two  dead  languages,  of  which  late  in  life  she  had  made 
herself  mistress.  To  these  acquirements  must  be  added  warm  and  lively 
feelings  joined  to  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  of  the  society  of 
which  she  had  always  been  a  distinguished  member. — M.S. 

t  Vide  Journal  of  1784. 


1798]  LETTER  FROM  SIR  U.  PRICE.  67 

by  giving  any  preparatory  hint  ?  Is  there  any  particular  period 
of  his  correspondence  you  would  like  to  have  ?  any  chasm  to 
fill  up? 

Miss  Berry  commences  her  reply  by  wishing  that 
'  printer '  and  '  proof  sheets '  had  left  her  that  day  a  little 
more  time  to  express  her  feelings  on  the  approaching 
event. 

Thank  you  much  (she  continues)  for  your  information  con- 
cerning Lady  Ossory.  When  you  come  to  town  I  shall  make 
you  laugh  at  her  ever  intending  to  publish  anything  after  her 
declarations  on  the  subject.  Be  the  bearer  of  any  message  from 
her  to  us,  and  receive  any  letters  she  gives  you  for  us.  But  we 
have  none  to  ask  for,  and  none  to  want,  and  no  chasm  to  fill. 
Our  volume  will  already,  I  find,  be  such  a  thumper,  that  unless 
I  subtract  some  from  those  already  in  hand  I  can  add  none. 

Two  thick  volumes  of  these  letters  have  since  been 
given  to  the  public,  by  Mr.  Vernon  Smith,*  and  have 
recently  been  incorporated,  under  the  editorship  of  Mr. 
P.  Cunningham,  into  a  new  edition  of  Horace  Walpole's 
Letters. 


Miss  Berry  omitted,  in  her  little  entry  for  this  year,  a 
visit  to  Malvern,  to  which  the  following  letter  alludes 
from  Sir  Uvedale  Price  ;  f  a  letter  truly  characteristic  of 
the  great  lover  of  the  picturesque  : — 

Foxley,  August  29,  1798. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  I  have  been  vexed  and 
disappointed.  I  had  got  off  my  engagement  for  Monday  though 

*  Now  Lord  Lyveden. 

t  Sir  Uvedale  Price,  of  Foxley,  co.  Herefordshire,  was  the  author  of  the 
'  Translation  from  the  Greek  of  the  Account  of  Pausanias  of  the  Statues, 
Pictures,  and  Temples  of  Greece,'  published  1780,  'Essay  on  the  Pic- 
turesque,' 1794,  and  of  other  minor  works;  also  of  a  'Dialogue  on  the 
Distinct  Character  of  the  Picturesque  and  the  Beautiful,'  in  answer  to  the 
objections  of  Mr.  Payne  Knight,  published  1801.  Sir  Uvedale  was  born  in 
1747 ;  married  to  Caroline,  fourth  daughter  of  George,  first  Earl  of  Tyr- 
connel,  created  Bart.  1828,  died  1829. 

ri 


68  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTEES.  [1798 

with  some  difficulty,  as  there  was  a  haunch  of  venison  that 
would  not  hear  of  being  kept.  I  had  ordered  my  horses  to  be 
ready,  and  myself  to  be  called  before  daybreak  on  Sunday,  all 
which  was  most  punctually  performed ;  the  morning  was  such 
as  there  is  no  speaking  of  but  in  poetry — 

Piu  bell'  aurora,  piu  lieto  di 
Dal'  sen'  del'  onde  mai  non  usci. 

But  I  rose  very  unlike  the  morning,  with  a  violent  headache 
and  shiverings — in  short,  quite  unable  to  go.  So  after  looking 
wishfully  at  the  Malvern  Hills,  which  are  on  view  from  my 
window,  I  at  last  shut  out  the  day  and  did  not  exercise  the 
Christian  virtues  of  patience  and  resignation.  I  hope  my 
recording  angel  (I  conclude  there  is  more  than  one  to  the 
planet,  or  he  has  no  sinecure)  did  not  set  down  all  my  fretting 
and  pining,  but  considered  how  severe  the  trial  was.  I  never 
promised  myself  so  much  pleasure  in  any  expedition ;  I  had 
planned  a  ride  across  a  tract  of  country  I  had  never  been 
through,  parts  of  which  I  know  must  be  full  of  beauties  from 
the  general  view  of  it  from  the  Malverns,  for  it  is  a  country 
full  of  small  knolls  and  swellings  covered  with  wood,  and  in 
the  sheltered  parts  between  them  there  are  a  number  of  fine 
hop  yards,  and  this  is  just  the  beginning  of  hop -pulling;  then, 
to  crown  all,  at  the  end  of  this  pleasant  ride  I  was  to  find  you 
at  Malvern.  I  was  particularly  glad  to  hear  that  you  were  to 
be  at  Malvern  village,  and  not  at  the  wells,  for  I  have  such  a 
horror  for  that  staring  red  house  and  staring  view  from  it,  that 
nothing  less  than  the  pleasure  of  your  society  would  tempt  me 
to  stay  there.  Now,  on  the  other  hand,  I  am  delighted  with  the 
view  from  the  inn,  for  the  rich  tower  of  the  church  rises  finely 
above  the  horizon,  and  most  happily  breaks  the  extensive  dis- 
tance, which  is  thrown  off  and  enriched  by  the  battlements  of 
the  body  of  the  church  ;  and  though  the  face  of  Worcestershire 
is  not  by  any  means  so  varied  as  our  side  of  the  hills,  yet  when 
viewed  from  Malvern,  it  has  the  material  advantage  of  receiving 
the  full  effect  of  the  evening  lights.  I  am  very  apt  to  consider, 
wherever  I  happen  to  be,  what  would  be  the  best  situation  for  a 
house  in  respect  to  the  view  from  it,  and  I  found  no  spot  in  Mal- 
vern, where  all  the  objects  were  so  happily  combined  as  the  inn. 
Not  only  the  church,  but  the  old  archway,  the  parsonage  covered 


1798]  MISS   BERRY   TO   MR.   GREATHEAD.  69 

with  jasmin,  the  churchyard,  the  path  through  it,  the  cottage  at 
the  end,  form  a  very  lucky  composition  of  foreground  and  dis- 
tances. All  this,  and  many  parts  about  Malvern,  I  was  very 
desirous  of  seeing  with  you,  for  I  have  never  had  the  pleasure 
of  being  with  you  amidst  any  striking  scenery,  though  we  have 
talked  upon  the  subject.  I  had  hoped  for  one  of  those  days 
that  are  passed  with  delight  and  always  recollected  with  pleasure, 
but  it  seems  to  have  been  ecrit  la  haut  that  we  should  not 
meet  this  time.  I  remember  having  received  a  letter  from  a 
devout  old  German,  who  was  chef  de  cuisine  to  Lord  Barrington, 
in  which  he  told  me  that  he  was  very  happy  to  have  been  the 
instrument,  under  Providence,  of  procuring  me  a  good  cook.  I 
beg  you  will  present  my  best  compliments  to  Mr.  Berry  and 
your  sister. 

I  am,  dear  Madam, 
Most  sincerely  and  faithfully  yours, 

U.  PRICE. 
General  Fitzpatrick  desires  his  best  compliments. 

Some  extracts  of  Miss  Berry's  correspondence  with 
different  friends,  and  some  reflections  on  the  different 
books  she  had  been  reading,  close  the  remains  of  this 
year. 

To  Mr.  Greathead. 

Little  Strawberry  Hill,  August  2, 1798. 

The  torments  of  an  evil  conscience  I  can  bear  no  longer,  and 
therefore  write  to  you  I  must.  If  I  hated  writing  ten  times 
more  than  I  do,  I  am  sure  fifty  letters  would  have  been  less 
pain  and  trouble  to  me  than  what  I  have  felt  for  never  having 
written  to  you  at  all,  whenever  you  came  into  my  thoughts, 
which  has  been  much  oftener  than  I  wished,  I  assure  you.  This 
time  twelvemonth  I  fully  thought  and  hoped  that,  instead  of 
now  corresponding  by  letters,  we  should  have  been  together  at 
Pyrnant.  Lady  Tancred's  accounts  were  by  no  means  inviting, 
tho'  I  made  due  allowance  for  a  traveller  whose  peregrinations 
for  several  years  before  had  been  confined  to  the  road  between 
London  and  Ramsgate — never,  I  think,  exceeded  a  trip  to  Paris 
in  the  halcyon  days  of  French  despotism.  Most  thoroughly  do 
I  begin  to  feel  the  want  of  that  shake  out  of  English  ways, 


70  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTERS.  [1798 

English  whims,  and  English  prejudices,  which  nothing  but 
leaving  England  gives  one.  After  a  residence  of  four  or  five 
years  we  all  begin  to  forget  the  existence  of  the  continent  of 
Europe,  till  we  touch  it  again  with  our  feet.  The  whole  world 
to  me,  that  is  to  say  the  whole  circle  of  my  ideas,  begins  to  be 
confined  between  N.  Audley-street  and  Twickenham.  I  know 
no  great  men  but  Pitt  and  Fox,  no  king  and  queen  but  George 
and  Charlotte,  no  towns  but  London.  All  the  other  cities,  and 
courts,  and  great  men  of  the  world  may  be  very  good  sort  of 
places  and  of  people,  for  aught  we  know  or  care ;  except  they 
are  coming  to  invade  us,  we  think  no  more  of  them  than  of  the 
inhabitants  of  another  planet.  We  should  like,  indeed,  just  to 
know  what  is  become  of  Buonaparte,  because  we  are  afraid  of 
our  settlements  in  India,  and  because  we  are  all  great  news- 
mongers and  politicians,  tho'  more  ignorant,  more  incapable  of 
any  general  view  upon  those  subjects,  than  any  other  people 
with  whom  I  ever  conversed  (the  French  of  ten  years  ago  only 
excepted).  Well,  that  I  may  not  quite  grow  to  the  spot  on 
which  you  left  me  last  August,  I  am  going  to  begin  my  travels 
on  Tuesday  next.  My  sister,  as  she  could  not  go  to  Pyrnant, 
was  obliged  to  go  to  Cheltenham,  from  whence  my  father  and  I 

are  going  to  fetch  her  home. 

#***»** 

I  am  anxious  to  hear  if  Bertie  has  yet  met  with  Matilda 
Pottingen,  and  if  he  writes  odes  upon  her  in  the  style  of 
Ruggiero.  I  know  Lysons  sent  you  the  Anti-Jacobin,  and,  in 
spite  of  its  title,  I  am  sure  you  would  be  diverted  with  the 
excellent  laughable  criticism  upon  German  plays — such,  I  mean, 
as  we  ignoramus's  see  them  through  the  medium  of  bad  trans- 
lations. Lysons  I  have  heard  of  at  Cheltenham,  and  likewise 
of  Mrs.  Siddons,  who  has  been  acting  there.  I  improved  my 
acquaintance  with  her  last  winter,  and  I  need  not  tell  you  how 
much  she  gains  by  being  known.  She  read  *  Hamlet '  to  us  one 
evening,  in  N.  Audley-street,  which  was  to  me  a  great  treat. 

To  Bertie  Greathead,  Esq.,  at  Gottingen. 

To  the  Honourable  Mrs.  Darner. 

Cheltenham,  August,  1798. 

This  place  and  everything  about  it  recalls,  in  the  most  lively 
manner,  scenes  and  recollections  to  my  mind,  which,  tho'  me]  an- 


1798]  FEOM   MISS   BEERY.  71 

choly,  I  cannot  call  unpleasing.  They  are,  thank  Heaven  !  un- 
embittered  by  reproach,  and  undisgraced  by  folly.  My  imagi- 
nation seems  to  pass  over  everything  that  has  happened  since, 
and  to  bring  me  back  to  the  calm  but  lively  enjoyment  of  a 
society  in  which  I  delighted. 

To  the  Same. 

Brandsby,  Oct.  1798. 

I  have  not  said  a  word  to  you  of  our  glorious  victory,*  but 
you  do  not  suspect  me  of  not  feeling  it.  Do  you  participate  in 
some  other  less  agreeable  feelings  which  to  me  accompany  this 
and  every  other  success  in  that  quarter  ?  When  I  think  (that 
under  other  circumstances)  we  might  have  been  so  much  nearer 
the  scene  of  action,  and  among  the  first  to  receive  and  con- 
gratulate the  gallant  conquerors !  How  much  more  appropriate 
to  our  minds,  interesting  to  our  feelings,  and  gratifying  to  our 
vanity,  in  spite  of  all  the  privations  with  which  such  a  situation 
might  seem  to  have  been  accompanied,  than  anything  we  are  or 
have  been  doing. 

Brandsby,  Oct.  1798. 

I  rejoice  to  hear  you  say  that  all  you  have  felt  on  our  late 
glorious  victories,  convinces  you  that  active  scenes  are  no  less 
gratifying  than  ever  to  your  mind,  and  that  they  have  roused 
that  latent  spark  of  heroism  which  I  know,  and  which  you  know 
yourself,  exists  in  your  composition.  I  have  sometimes  feared 
lest  the  narrow  circle  to  which  you  have  confined  yourself,  and 
the  sort  of  life  which  circumstances  have  combined  to  make 
you  lead,  for  these  last  four  or  five  years,  should  contract,  not 
your  sentiments  or  ideas,  but  your  powers  of  acting  in  and  en- 
joying more  animating,  active,  and  interesting  passages  of  life, 
into  which  it  would  be  your  ambition,  as  it  would  be  mine,  to 
carry  a  mind  as  philosophic  and  sedate,  as  ever  we  enjoyed 
in  our  own  gardens.  For  my  part,  I  think  the  magnitude  of 
objects  would  render  easy  all  the  difficulties,  sufferings,  and 
exertions  for  their  attainment,  and  even  considerably  soften  the 

*  The  battle  of  the  Nile  was  fought  August  1,  1798.  The  despatch  an- 
nouncing the  victory  was  dated  August  3,  and  it  appeared  in  the  London 
Gazette  Oct.  2.  A  length  of  time  between  the  event  and  its  announcement, 
that  seems  somewhat  strange  to  those  who  have  lived  since  the  invention  of 
steam  navigation  and  electric  telegraphs. 


72  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTERS.  [1798 

disappointment  of  a  failure.     The  magnis  tamen  exddit  ausis 
must,  I  think,  have  been  a  great  comfort  even  to  poor  Phaeton. 

To  the  Same. 

Brand-iby,  Oct.  1798. 

Do  you  know  that  I  have  been  working  as  hard  at  Greek  for 
this  week  past  as  you  could  possibly  desire  ?  The  parson  who  I 
mentioned  in  my  last,  stayed  till  yesterday.  He  is  a  very  good 
scholar,  and  has  been  much  in  the  habit  of  teaching.  He  cor- 
rected a  piece  of  Isocrates  which  I  had  done  by  myself,  and  then 
read  on  with  me  in  the  same  oration,  and  whilst  he  was  here  I 
translated  above  two  pages  more,  writing  them  down,  I  mean, 
and  all  the  verbs  and  their  parts  in  the  opposite  page,  in  our 
own  way,  you  know.  This  young  man's  pertinacity  about  the 
use  of  accents  would  have  provoked  you ;  it  diverted  me,  who 
was  too  weak  and  too  ignorant  an  opponent  to  attempt  their 
defence.  I  find  that  about  six  months'  regular  tho'  moderate 
study  would  really  make  me  a  sufficient  Grecian  for  my  purpose, 
that  of  mere  enjoyment,  and  that  six  months  I  am  determined 
(as  much  as  I  can  determine  anything)  shall  be  next  winter,  if 
I  can  possibly  find  an  assistant. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  a  Friend. 

Little  Strawberry,  Tuesday,  Nov.  19, 1798. 

.  .  .  .  I  have  been  as  busy  as  a  bee  in  my  garden  and 
greenhouse,  to  which  I  always  return  with  new  pleasure  and 
satisfaction,  convinced  that  when  once  one  likes  and  enters  into 
it,  it  is  one  of  the  very  best  sources  of  interest  and  amusement ; 
there  is  nothing  that  so  agreeably  fatigues  the  body  and  rests 

the  mind As  soon  as  I  have  got  my  work  under 

a  little  in  the  garden,  I  mean  to  set  seriously  into  Greek,  and 
to  finish  Wraxall  and  many  other  books  I  have  in  my  eye ;  by- 
the-bye,  don't  let  me  forget  to  advise  you  to  read  the  *  Natural 
Son,'  or  *  Lovers'  Vows  ; '  it  is  the  entire  and  literal  translation 
of  the  play  which  is  now  acting  with  such  success  at  Covent 
Garden,*  but  not  as  it  is  acted ;  you  can  get  it  at  Todd's,  where 
I  did,  to  read  in  the  chaise.  I  think  it  quite  charming,  and  it 

*  '  Lovers'  Vows.'  Play  in  five  Acts,  translated  and  adapted  to  the  En- 
glish stage  by  Mr.  Richard  Cumberland,  from  the  German  of  Kotzebue. 


1798]  FEOM  MISS   BERRY.  73 

affected  me  much,  tho'  not  of  the  black  and  dreadful  school  of 
Schiller.  You  must  allow  for  German  manners  and  for  the  (at 
all  times)  sad  disguise  of  a  translation.  I  find  people  of  taste 
in  general  disapprove  of  it  as  acted,  tho'  they  own  it  affecting. 
This  I  can  readily  believe  to  be  just,  for  I  should  conceive  it 
very  difficult  to  adjust  to  an  English  audience.  We  all  re- 
gretted its  not  being  acted  while  we  were  in  town.  Another 
book  which  I  purchased  at  Todd's  and  read  in  my  chaise  was 
the  '  Essay  on  Population '  *  which  Mr.  Wrangham  left  with  you. 
It  is  uncommonly  clearly  thought  and  written,  and  contains 
much  curious  and  uncontrovertible  reasoning  on  the  subject  in 
question. 

Extract  from  a  Letter  to  the  Same. 

Little  Strawberry,  Tuesday,  Nov.  27, 1798. 

I  think,  by  way  of  filling  up  my  cover,  I  shall  send  you  a 
letter  of  Edwards',  written  in  answer  to  some  inquiries  I  had 
made  about  the  event  of  his  friend  Johnstone's  trial.  You  will 
see  how  rationally  and  liberally  Edwards  owns  Government  here 
to  have  been  in  the  right,  and  you  will  see  that  Attorney- 
Generals  are  not  always  so  much  in  the  wrong  as  you  are 
inclined  to  think  them.  As  to  poor  Tone's  f  case,  I  think  judge, 

*  Thos.  Robt.  Malthus,  born  1766 ;  published  in  1798  his  '  Essay  on 
Population.'  A  few  years  later  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Political 
Economy  at  the  East  India  Company's  College  at  Heyleybury,  a  post  which 
he  retained  till  his  death,  in  1834.  He  was  the  author  of  several  works  on 
political  economy,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Political  Economy 
Club,  and  the  Statistical  Society. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Bio- 
yraphy. 

•f  Theobald  Wolfe  Tone,  born  at  Dublin  in  about  1763,  called  to  the  bar 
1789,  became  a  political  writer,  and,  though  himself  a  Protestant,  was  the 
founder  of  a  club  called  the  '  United  Irishmen.'  He  was  finally  taken  pri- 
soner in  the  act  of  returning  with  the  French  invading  squadron,  in  which 
he  had  accepted  a  commission.  He  was  brought  to  Dublin  and  tried  by  a 
court-martial :  he  prayed  the  Court  to  sentence  him  to  be  shot.  This 
request  was  denied  him,  and  he  was  ordered  to  be  executed,  but  the  night 
preceding  that  of  his  intended  execution  he  contrived  to  inflict  a  dangerous 
wound  on  his  own  throat.  The  next  morning  Mr.  Curran  applied  to  the 
Court  of  King's  Bench  for  a  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus  to  bring  up  the  body 
of  Mr.  Tone  upon  the  ground  '  that  courts-martial  had  no  jurisdiction  upon 
subjects  not  in  the  service  of  His  Majesty  during  the  sitting  of  the  Court 
of  King's  Bench.'  The  Chief  Justice,  Lord  Kilwarden,  ordered  a  writ  to 
be  made  out  immediately,  but  Mr.  Tone  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  moved. 


74  MISCELLANEOUS  LETTERS.  [1798 

jury  and  accusers,  and  friends,  all  seem  to  be  equally  Irish  mad, 
and  nobody  to  have  common  sense  but  the  poor  unhappy 
prisoner,  who,  I  heartily  hope,  will  never  live  to  be  tormented 
with  a  new  trial. 

Little  Strawberry,  Tuesday,  Dec.  14,  798. 

.  .  .  During  my  illness  I  have  finished  the  2nd  vol.  of  Wrax- 
all  which  I  had  just  begun  at  Brandsby,  and  which  I  like  better 
and  better  the  farther  I  go.  I  have  consulted,  too,  one  of  his 
authorities  for  many  things  in  the  age  of  Henry  the  Third, 
Montaigne's  Essays,  a  very  curious  and  an  astonishing  book, 
considering  the  times  in  which  it  was  written,  and  which  one 
never  consults  without  entertainment.  I  have  reread,  too,  Con- 
dorcet's  book,*  and  compared  his  ideas  and  arguments  on  the 
subject  of  population  with  those  of  the  Essay  we  have  been 
reading,  and  certainly  the  Essay  has  not  only  the  best  of  the 
argument  (upon  these  points)  in  a  philosophical  light,  but  is 
absolute  conviction  on  the  subject  of  the  different  ratios  in 
which  population,  and  the  means  of  subsisting  that  population, 
increase.  .  .  . 

That  Miss  Berry  should  have  read  with  interest  such  a 
work  as  Malthus's  essay  on  the  '  Principle  of  Population,' 
that  it  should  have  confirmed  her  own  unassisted  ideas 
on  such  a  subject,  and  that  she  should  have  felt  that  she 
coincided  with  the  reasoning  of  such  an  author,  is  no 
small  proof  that  her  mind  was  considerably  in  advance, 
not  only  of  other  women,  but  of  the  majority  of  the  men 
of  that  day. 

I  cannot  but  feel  flattered  at  finding  my  own  unassisted  ideas 
upon  subjects  of  philosophical  politics  and  national  economy 
confirmed  by  those  of  some  of  the  most  enlightened  authors.  A 
pleasure  of  this  sort  I  have  lately  received  in  reading  Malthus's 
Essay  on  the  Principle  of  Population,— his  ideas  on  the  rela- 
tive greatness  of  two  countries,  the  one  deriving  its  wealth 

The  execution  was  suspended,  and  on  the  19th  he  died  in  prison  from  the 
effects  of  his  self-inflicted  wound. — Annual  Register. 

*  Mr.  Malthus  refers  to  M.  Condorcet's  '  Esquisse  d'un  Tableau  Historique 
des  Progres  de  1'Esprit  Humain '  in  his  l  Essay  on  the  Principle  of  Popu- 
lation.' 


1798]  MALTHUS   OX   POPULATION.  75 

principally  from  trade  and  manufactures,  and  the  other  from 
agriculture — upon  the  high  price  of  labour  materially  checking 
our  foreign  dealings — his  assumption  that  high  duties  and  pro- 
hibitions on  foreign  produce  and  foreign  commodities  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  giving  a  bounty  to  our  own  manufactures, 
and  thereby  depressing  and  turning  away  attention  and  capital 
from  agriculture. 

All  these  ideas  I  have  long  entertained,  in  all  his  reasonings 
on  them  I  perfectly  coincide  with  him ;  and,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  to  go  on  a  little  farther  by  myself,  not  without  hopes 
of  finding  these  further  ideas  also  confirmed,  in  future,  by  some 
better  head  than  my  own,  possessed  of  more  data,  and  having 
that  practical  acquaintance  with  details  of  which  I  must  neces- 
sarily be  ignorant ;  I  would  say,  then,  that  I  can  see  no  pos- 
sible objection  (in  theory  at  least)  to  a  country,  under  the 
peculiar  circumstances  that  ours  happens  to  be,  receiving  all 
the  produce  and  all  the  manufactures  of  all  the  countries  in 
Europe  without  any  particular  restriction  or  higher  duties  on 
the  one  than  on  the  other.  We  are  allowed  on  all  hands  to 
have  risen  to  a  perfection  of  machinery  in  our  own  manufac- 
tures hitherto  unrivalled,  and  which  allows  us,  in  spite  of  the 
present  high  price  of  labour  and  of  provisions,  to  undersell 
others  in  the  foreign  markets. 

Our  manufactures,  in  time  of  peace,  certainly  employ  as  many 
hands  and  as  much  of  the  capital  (as  the  economists  call  it)  of 
the  country,  not  to  say  more  than  can  be  properly  spared  from 
agriculture  and  its  improvements  necessary  to  the  welfare  of  the 
state. 

Under  these  circumstances,  what  possible  harm  could  accrue 
to  us  from  receiving,  for  instance  (and  it  is  certainly  the 
strongest  instance  that  can  be  cited),  the  wines  and  silks  of 
France  at  the  same  regular  and  moderate  duties  at  which  we 
should  receive  the  produce  of  what  are  now  called  the  most 
favoured  nations  ? 

Can  anybody  suppose,  while  we  continue  to  possess  superior 
habits  of  industry  and  commercial  confidence,  that  we  need 
dread  a  competition  with  France,  while  we  have  hardware  of  all 
sorts,  collars  and  muslins,  articles  of  much  more  general  and 
necessary  use  than  wine  and  silks,  to  bring  to  their  market,  and 
those  of  every  other  quarter  of  the  world  ? 


76  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTERS.  [1798 

Our  allowing  an  open  and  fair  competition,  which  surely 
we  could  have  no  reason  to  dread,  would,  in  the  first  place, 
remove  that  odium  under  which  we  too  surely  lay  with  all 
Europe  for  a  spirit  of  mercantile  tyranny  and  monopoly ;  and, 
at  all  events,  it  would  gently  let  us  down  to  our  own  level  (a 
very  high  one  it  must  always  be)  in  the  scale  of  commercial 
nations — it  would  weaken  the  blow  that  our  fictitious  and 
unnatural  commercial  wealth  will  unavoidably  receive,  and 
enable  us  to  bear  it  without  any  violent  convulsion  either  of 
public  prosperity  or  of  private  happiness,  by  turning  more  of 
the  capital  of  the  State  to  the  support  and  increase  of  the  agri- 
cultural system — the  only  solid  basis  of  commercial  prosperity. 

But  on  this  subject,  as  on  many  others,  a  few  simple,  funda- 
mental, immutable  principles  are  so  involved  in  the  complex 
systems  which  are  built  upon  them,  that  by  the  generality  of 
mankind — nay,  even  by  the  reasoning  part  of  mankind — they  are 
utterly  forgotten,  and  by  few  indeed  received  to  suffice  really. 

Thus  all  possible  systems  of  political  economy,  and  of  com- 
mercial or  agricultural  success,  and  of  national  prosperity,  must 
all  necessarily  be  founded  on  a  few  simple  principles,  which,  like 
the  truths  on  which  rest  the  first  principles  both  of  reasoning 
and  of  mathematics,  will,  at  first  sight,  appear  so  self-evident 
as  to  make  demonstration  superfluous ;  while  the  farther  we 
advance,  the  more  we  perceive  how  often  they  require  to  be 
impressed  on  our  minds ;  and  that  error  can  only  be  avoided  by 
frequently  rallying  our  wandering  thoughts  to  the  standard  of 
their  immutability. 

These  principles  in  political  economy  may  be  thus  stated  : — 

1st.  That  man  cannot  live  without  food ;  consequently,  that 
no  greater  number  of  people  can  possibly  be  made  to  exist  than 
there  is  the  means  of  maintaining ;  or,  in  other  words,  that  no 
power  can  make  the  population  exceed  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence. 

2nd.  That  man  will  feed  himself  before  his  neighbour  ;  con- 
sequently, that  the  nation  which  gets  from  others  the  means  of 
subsistence,  instead  of  having  wherewithal  within  itself,  will  be 
the  first  to  starve ;  or,  in  other  words,  that  the  nation  which 
habitually  imports  instead  of  exporting  corn  will  be  subject  to 
severe  scarcities. 

3rd.  That  in  plenty,  what  remains  to  man  at  the  end  of  the 


1798]  TO   MRS.  CHOLMELEY.  77 

year,  after  he  has  fed  himself,  is  the  only  possible  fund  he  can 
have,  either  for  raising  a  greater  quantity  of  food  next  year,  or 
for  keeping  himself  idle  and  making  others  work  for  him ;  or, 
in  other  words,  that  the  surplus  produce  of  agriculture  and  of 
labour  is  the  only  possible  fund  and  support  for  commercial 
prosperity. 

By  the  test  of  these  few  simple  principles,  all  systems  what- 
soever, to  whom  related  or  by  whom  begot,  must  be  tried ;  and 
no  apparent  contradictions  to  them  in  the  circumstances,  past 
or  present,  of  any  of  the  States  of  Europe,  can  diminish  one 
jot  from  their  immutability. 

Extract  from  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Cholmeley. 

Little  Strawb.,  Tuesday,  Dec.  11, 1798. 

...  On  the  evening  of  Friday  we  went  to  the  play  at  Covent 
Garden.  Saw  '  Lovers'  Vows,'  and  a  new  farce  called  *  The 
Jew  and  the  Doctor,'  *  which  has  more  real  laughable  fun  in  it, 
more  plot,  and  certainly  more  good  writing,  than  any  comedy  I 
have  seen  or  heard  of  for  this  age :  as  a  farce,  it  certainly  is 
quite  admirable,  and,  I  dare  say,  will  always  maintain  its  place 
upon  the  stage.  It  is  said  to  be  the  first  production  of  young 
Dibdin,  son  to  the  man  who  writes  the  songs  and  exhibits 
some  sort  of  an  entertainment  to  the  public  under  the  name 
of  the  Sans-Souci.  '  Lovers'  Vows  '  disappointed  me.  The  ne- 
cessary curtailments  which  have  been  made  from  the  German 
'  Natural  Son,'  to  avoid  des  longueurs,  and  to  suit  it  in  some 
degree  to  our  manners  upon  the  stage,  destroy  the  effect  of 
many  situations  and  sentiments,  by  having  in  a  great  degree 
taken  away  their  efficient,  or  at  least  sufficient  cause,  and  con- 
sequently making  them  appear  awkward  or  misplaced,  or  more 
or  less  than  enough  to  the  minds  of  the  spectators :  in  short, 
a  good  play  must  ever  be  a  whole  from  which  it  is  quite  im- 
possible to  take  out  a  bit  here  and  put  in  a  bit  there  without 
disfiguring  and  degrading  the  original,  even  when  that  original 
would  not  succeed  in  representation,  as  is  certainly  the  case 

*  'The  Jew  and  the  Doctor'  was  first  performed  at  the  Maidstone 
Theatre,  and  afterwards  at  Covent  Garden.  Mr.  Dibdin  says,  '  though  not 
produced  in  that  order  it  was  hia  first? — Vide  advertisement  to  'Jew  and 
Doctor/  in  Mrs.  Inclibald'a  Collection  of  Farces. 


78  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTEES.  [1798 

with  the  '  Natural  Son,'  as  I  read  it,  closely  translated  from  the 
original.  .  .  . 

Roscoe*  has  just  sent  us  a  poem  of  his  translation  from  an 
Italian  poet  whose  very  name  was  unknown  to  my  very  shallow 
Italian  erudition,  f  It  is  called  '  The  Nurse,'  from  *  La  Babia ' 
of  Luigi  Tansillo.  I  have  read  it  over,  tho'  not  yet  with  suffi- 
cient attention ;  but  I  am  disappointed  in  it,  because  I  expect 
nothing  but  what  is  excellent  from  his  pen.J  The  subject, 
which  is  reprobating  hired  nurses  and  exhorting  all  women  to 
suckle  their  own  children,  does  not  do  in  English  verse,  tho'  the 
Ariosto-like  familiarity  and  simplicity  of  the  original,  makes  it 
pretty  in  the  inimitable  beauty  of  the  Italian  language.  The 
subject,  too,  never  to  the  eye  of  reason  and  nature  can  admit 
of  an  argument,  and  therefore  is  a  repetition  of  the  same  idea. 
I  mean,  that  it  never  can  admit  of  anything  but  a  physical 
argument  from  some  peculiar  defect  or  infirmity  of  the  mother, 
which  does  not  and  cannot  do  in  poetry.  The  poem  is  pub- 
lished, beautifully  printed,  with  the  Italian  on  the  opposite 
page ;  it  is  not  long,  and  you  can  no  doubt  get  it  at  York. 

*  William  Roscoe,  born  at  Liverpool,  1753.  His  father  kept  a  public- 
house,  and  also  carried  on  the  business  of  a  market-gardener.  In  1774 
William  Roscoe  became  an  attorney  of  the  Court  of  King's  Bench ;  in  1784 
he  was  elected  Member  of  the  Manchester  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society.  He  first  appeared  as  an  author  in  1796 ;  he  wrote  the  '  Life  of 
Lorenzo  de'  Medici,'  '  Life  of  Leo  X.,'  &c.  &c.  In  1816  he  was  elected 
M.P.  for  Liverpool.  The  Royal  Institution  of  Liverpool  owes  its  origin  to 
him.  Died  in  1831,  in  his  seventy-ninth  year. 

t  Tansillo,  an  Italian  poet  of  no  great  merit.  '  La  Babia,'  published  1767 ; 
Roscoe's  translation,  published  1798. —  Watts' 's  Dictionary. 

|  '  Mr.  Roscoe  is  happy  in  an  opportunity  of  paying  his  respects  to  the 
Miss  Berrys,  and  requesting  their  acceptance  of  a  copy  of  "  The  Nurse," 
translated  from  the  Italian  of  Luigi  Tansillo.  He  is  well  aware  how  much 
his  translation  will  suffer  in  the  estimation  of  persons  so  fully  acquainted 
with  the  Italian  language  by  a  comparison  with  the  original,  which  pos- 
sesses a  degree  of  simplicity  wholly  unattainable — at  least  by  the  present 
translator :  besides  which,  they  will  perceive  numerous  omissions  and 
variations,  the  reasons  of  some  of  which  will  be  sufficiently  obvious.  It 
would  afford  Mr.  R.  great  pleasure  if  he  could  fatter  himself  that  this  trifling 
production  could  afford  Miss  Berrys  any  amusement ;  and  should  any  error 
or  impropriety  occur  to  them  on  its  perusal,  he  shall  esteem*  himself  highly 
obliged  by  their  noticing  it  to  him  whenever  their  leisure  will  permit.  Mr.  R. 
incloses  another  copy,  which  he  requests  Miss  Berrys  will  take  the  trouble 
of  sending  to  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Darner,  with  his  best  respects. 
'  Birchfield,  Dec.  3,  1798.' 


1798]  TO  MRS.  CHOLMELEY.  79 

To  the  Same. 

Little  Strawb.,  Monday,  Dec.  24,  1798. 

.  .  .  You  will  see  in  to-day's  paper  the  confirmation  of  the 
capture  of  Minorca,*  which  I  fancy  is  really  of  very  consider- 
able importance  towards  maintaining  our  present  superiority  in 
the  Mediterranean.  Mrs.  Charles  Stuart  may  now,  instead  of 
*  tearing  her  hair  for  her  general's  departure,'  go  to  him  at 
Minorca,  of  which  he  is  made  governor.  .  .  .  The  Union  with 
Ireland  may  most  truly  be  called  the  Irish  Union,  for  it  seems 
likely  totally  to  disunite  the  two  countries.  Wrong  heads, 
either  individually  or  nationally,  are,  to  be  sure,  the  d — 1  to  deal 
with !  The  Union  with  Scotland  (from  which  she  has  to  date 
the  most  rapid  improvement  and  prosperity  which  ever  took 
place  in  a  country)  was  opposed  with  hardly  less  violence  by 
the  pride  and  prejudices  of  the  Scotch ;  but  the  Scotchman  will 
always  ultimately  submit  both  his  pride  and  his  prejudices  to 
his  interest,  and  has  the  sense  to  see  what  that  interest  is  ;  which 
latter  sense  I  can  by  no  means  allow  to  the  Irish,  after  their 
seriously  planning  to  set  themselves  up,  in  the  present  state  of 
Europe,  as  an  independent  republic  under  the  protection  of 
the  French  !  You  will  think  me  growing  ministerial:  nothing 
less,  I  can  assure  you.  We  have  behaved  like  brutes  and  like 
fools  to  Ireland ;  but  now  they  are  behaving  like  brutes  and 
fools  to  themselves ;  for  I  feel  convinced  that  a  union  with  this 
country  would  be  the  making  of  Ireland,  tho'  I  by  no  means 
think  it  likely  to  be  a  great  advantage  to  England  :  the  balance 
must  always  be  in  favour  of  the  poorer  country  admitted  to 
participate  in  all  the  commerce  and  commercial  undertakings 
of  the  richer  one.  I  am  told  there  is  in  Somerville's  '  Queen 
Anne  '  a  very  curious  and  detailed  account  of  all  the  opposition 
made  to,  and  all  the  arguments  pro  and  con  the  Union  with 
Scotland.  I  have  not  yet  come  to  it.  What  signifies  if  the 
idle  Irish  lords  should  all  come  over  and  live  here  ? — their  estates 

*  In  the  { Gazette  '  of  Dec.  24th  is  the  despatch  addressed  to  the  Right 
Hon.  Henry  Dundas,  and  signed  '  Chas.  Stuart,'  giving  an  account  of  this 
event,  beginning — '  I  have  the  honour  to  acquaint  you  that  His  Majesty's 
forces  are  in  possession  of  the  Island  of  Minorca,  without  having  sustained 
the  loss  of  a  single  man.' — Annual  Register. 


80  MISCELLANEOUS   LETTEES.  [1798 

would  very  soon  be  bought  by  great  linen-weavers  and  other 
manufacturers,  as  all  the  little  Scotch  lairds'  estates  have  been 
bought  by  people  having  made  commercial  fortunes,  and  able 
and  willing  to  lay  out  a  great  deal  of  money  in  ameliorating  and 
cultivating  to  the  utmost  their  purchases.  My  Irish  specu- 
lations are  luckily  interrupted  by  dinner.  Farewell ! 


'  Tristram  Shandy,'  while  it  diverts,  always  reminds  me  of  a 
Dutch  portrait,  in  which  we  admire  the  accurate  representation 
of  all  the  little  disgusting  blemishes — the  warts,  moles,  and 
hairs — of  the  human  form.  Even  when  he  affects  us,  it  is  by  a 
minute  detail  of  little  circumstances  which  all  lead  to  the  weak- 
nesses, and  are  often  connected  with  the  ridicules,  that  belong  to 
our  nature;  while  Eousseau,  on  the  contrary,  like  the  great 
masters  of  the  Italian  school  of  painting,  gives  grace  and  dignity 
to  every  character  he  brings  forward — choosing  to  represent 
scenes  and  situations  when  every  ennobling  faculty  of  our 
mind  is  brought  into  action,  and  the  greatest  expression  of 
passion  and  character  is  produced  without  even  losing  sight  of 
decent  grace,  or  presenting  anything  disgusting  to  the  imagi- 
nation. 

The  one  degrades  worth,  by  a  thousand  little  mean  circum- 
stances that  destroy  the  respect  which  it  ought  to  inspire ;  while 
the  other  consoles  frail  human  nature  with  the  idea  that  even 
great  failings  are  redeemable  by  virtuous  exertion. 

When  I  read  *  Paradise  Lost,'  I  am  no  more  able  to  conceive 
the  powers  of  imagination  and  genius  exerted  by  Milton  in  the 
composition  of  that  poem,  than  I  am  able  to  conceive  the  in- 
tellect of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  in  the  demonstration  of  the  pheno- 
mena of  the  universe.  Both  seem  to  me  beings  more  exalted 
above  myself,  in  the  scale  of  intellectual  perfection,  than  I  am 
above  the  brute  creation.  Both  serve,  more  than  any  other 
contemplation  of  nature,  to  raise  and  purify  my  ideas  of  its 
great  Author — of  that  Being  who  has  powers  to  delegate  such 
powers !  such  emanations  of  something  so  purely  spiritual !  so 
clearly  detached  from  all  corporal  properties  and  all  animal 
analogies ! 

With  gratitude,  too,  I  bow  before  the  Origin  of  all  good  for 


1798]  MILTON'S  'PARADISE  LOST.'  81 

having  placed  me  in  that  order  of  understandings,  not  disgraced 
by  the  unconsciousness  of  such  perfections,  but  who,  looking 
up  to  them  at  an  incalculable  distance,  with  pride  and  reve- 
rence, as  to  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the  nature  to  which  I 
belong,  am  yet  capable  of  being  enlightened  by  the  philosophy 
of  the  one,  and  enraptured  by  the  poetry  of  the  other. 

Mr.  Knight  surprised  me  much  the  other  day  by  his  sentiments 
of  Milton's  poetry:  I  mean,  of  Milton's  poetry  in  his  'Paradise 
Lost.'  That  even  the  finest  parts  of  that  poem,  while  he  ad- 
mired them,  should  rather  oppress  and  sink  him,  than  exalt  to 
that  sort  of  enthusiasm  and  rapture,  the  true  end  and  aim  of  all 
really  fine  poetry,  I  cannot  understand  in  a  man  of  his  admir- 
able taste  and  classical  acquirements.  The  perfect  taste,  the 
delicacy,  the  divine  purity  of  all  the  descriptions  of  Paradise,  of 
Adam  and  Eve — of  their  happiness,  their  loves,  &c.  &c., — he 
thinks  cold  and  unanimating,  and  admires  most  the  descriptions 
of  Satan,  and  the  diabolic  part  of  the  poem. 

Here,  again,  I  much  wonder  at  and  differ  from  him.  No- 
thing indeed  can  be  more  impressive,  more  dignified,  grander, 
or  more  consistent,  than  the  character  and  conduct  of  Satan  and 
his  compeers  throughout ;  but  I  must  ever  think  such  a  character, 
and  the  conduct  and  descriptions  incident  to  it,  less  original, 
less  infinitely  difficult,  as  to  the  effect  produced  by  them,  than 
the  exquisite  pictures  of  the  undisturbed  happiness  of  Para- 
dise and  its  inhabitants  before  their  fallen  state.  To  represent 
scenes  which  interest,  of  uninterrupted  happiness,  without  events, 
without  distress,  without  incident  of  any  kind,  and,  above  all, 
to  represent  love — the  enjoyments  of  happy,  gratified,  human 
love — without  grossness,  without  satiety,  and  with  a  purity 
both  of  thought  and  of  expression,  for  which  he  could  have 
neither  prototype  nor  example,  seems  to  me  one  of  the  greatest 
possible  efforts  of  the  magic  powers  of  true  poetry,  which  may 
indeed  be  said,  in  the  instance  of  Milton,  to  have  formed  a 
creation  of  its  own. 


VOL.  II.  G 


82  EXTKACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 


EXTEACTS  FKOM  LETTEES. 
1799. 

'  STRAWBERRY  let,  at  the  [no  name  given]  at  Twickenham. 
We  go  to  Cheltenham  to  meet  the  Douglas'  and  Lady 
Spencer.  Mrs.  D.  came  to  meet  us  at  Malvern.' 

It  is  in  the  extracts  of  Miss  Berry's  letters  to  her 
friend  Mrs.  Cholmeley  that  we  best  trace  her  occupations 
and  thoughts  during  this  year. 

Jan.  3, 1799. 

Thus  late  with  angel  grace  along  the  plain 
Illustrious  Devon  led  Britannia's  train ; 
And  whilst,  by  frigid  fashion  unreprest, 
She  to  chaste  transports  open'd  all  her  breast, 
Joy'd  her  lov'd  babe  its  playful  hands  to  twine 
Round  her  fair  neck,  or  midst  her  locks  divine  j 
And  from  the  fount,  with  every  grace  imbued, 
Drank  heavenly  nectar,  not  terrestrial  food. 
So  Venus  once,  in  fragrant  bowers  above, 
Clasp'd  to  her  rosy  breast  immortal  Love, 
Transfus'd  soft  passion  through  his  tingling  frame, 
The  nerve  of  rapture,  and  the  heart  of  flame. 
Yet  not  with  wanton  hopes  and  fond  desires 
Her  infant's  veins  the  British  matron  fires  ; 
But  prompts  the  aim  to  crown  by  future  worth 
The  proud  pre-eminence  of  noble  birth. 


FINIS. 


Here  are  the  concluding  lines  of  Eoscoe's  poem*  which  I 
promised  you.  Your  opinion  of  him  as  a  poet  may  be  perfectly 
true,  for  I  have  never  yet  had  time  to  read  his  translations  of 
Lorenzo,  and  know  nothing  of  his  verses  except  some  little 
insignificant  trifles;  but  I  can  never  agree  to  your  idea  of 
'  prettyness '  suiting  the  Italian  language  better  than  English  or 

*  '  The  Nurse,'  a  poem,  alluded  to  in  the  letter  dated  Dec.  11,  1798. 


1799]         ITALIAN  LANGUAGE — UNION   WITH   IRELAND.  83 

French.  I  have  ever  thought  that  the  only  thing  to  which  the 
Italian  language  has  been  hitherto  quite  unapt  is  prettiness, 
sentiment,  id  genus  omne,  in  which  the  French,  by  its  continued 
application  to  them,  so  perfectly  succeeds.  The  Italian  language, 
I  am  persuaded,  is  capable  of  becoming  anything ;  but  hitherto 
I  think  you  will  find  it  to  have  been  the  language  of  passion, 
not  of  sentiment.  .  .  . 

I  rejoice  that  you  have  such  agreeable  accounts  from  your 
boy.  You,  I  trust,  will  experience  the  truth  of  what  I  have 
ever  thought — the  infinite  use,  advantage,  and  service  a  mother 
can  be  to  a  son ;  advantages  and  services  which,  if  not  neglected 
on  the  one  side,.  I  believe  are  rarely  if  ever  forgotten  or  ill 
repaid  on  the  other. 

Little  Strawb.,  Saturday,  Jan.  12, 1799. 

.  .  Somerville's  *  Anne '  *  is,  I  think,  more  dry  than  his 
*  William,'  but  clear,  distinct,  impartial,  and  wonderfully  in- 
forming ;  his  chapters  upon  the  Union  with  Scotland  are  par- 
ticularly so,  and  the  topics  and  events  of  the  present  day  make 
them  doubly  interesting.  From  the  almost  rebellious  state  of 
Scotland  at  the  time,  from  their  ridiculous  ideas  of  an  indepen- 
dent kingdom,  and  their  general  aversion  and  opposition  to  the 
plan,  of  none  of  which  circumstances  I  had  before  at  all  a  just 
idea,  I  assure  you  I  begin  to  think  that,  volens  nolens,  we  must 
have  a  Union  with  Ireland.  If  their  potatoe  heads  rebel  with, 
they  most  certainly  will  rebel  without  it,  the  moment  a  great 
military  force  leaves  the  country ;  and  I  really  fancy  the  attempt 
at  least  of  a  Union  is  all  we  have  for  it  to  save  them  from  the 
merciless  fangs  of  France. 

The  news  from  Naples  is  melancholy  beyond  expression,  and 
too  plainly  shows  that  the  immortal  victory  of  Nelson  will  only 
tend  to  a  still  greater  and  fruitless  destruction  of  the  human 
race  in  that  devoted  country ;  while  our  ignorant  ministers  and 
their  pert  adherents  (ignorant,  I  mean,  of  foreign  affairs),  instead 
of  sticking  to  their  ships  and  their  sailors,  are  talking  of  being 
the  deliverers  and  arbitrators  of  Europe  ! !  .  .  . 

*  l History  of  Great  Britain  during  the  Reign,  of  Queen  Anne;  with  a 
Dissertation  concerning  the  Danger  of  the  Protestant  Succession.'  By  Thos. 
Somerville,  D.D.,  F.R.S.,  Edinburgh,  Minister  of  Jedburgh.  Published 
1798. —  Watts' s  Dictionary. 

G'2 


84  EXTRACTS   FROM    MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1799 

N.  Audley  Street,  Tuesday,  Jan.  22,  1799. 

.  .  .  I  have  ever  sought  in  friendship  persons  I  con- 
sidered as  my  superiors  in  mental  endowments;  indeed,  such 
superiority  must  ever  be  the  first  real  inducement  and  only  real 
foundation  for  an  intimate  union  to  a  thinking  mind.  If  I 
afterwards  found  an  inferiority  in  some  points,  I  looked  for  and 
recognised  a  superiority  in  others.  My  very  seeking  their  inti- 
macy at  all,  necessarily  supposed  these  circumstances,  this 
balanced  equality ;  but,  certainly,  the  more  superior  I  found 
them  in  judgment,  in  feelings,  in  opinions,  in  taste,  the  more  I 
sought,  cultivated,  and  congratulated  myself  on  the  conviction ; 
the  more  I  took  and  the  less  I  gave,  the  more  I  should  have 
considered  the  balance  in  my  favour.  .  .  .. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Sunday,  Feb.  3, 1799. 

.  .  .  .  I  hope  you  have  read  the  Irish  debates  on  the 
Union.  I  think  you  will  have  found  in  them  much  abuse,  little 
eloquence,  and  absolutely  no  argument.  I  fancy  they  think 
they  hold  the  charter  of  their  constitution  and  independence 
by  a  bull;  for,  would  you  believe  it,  the  first  official  accounts 
misstated  the  majority  of  the  House  of  Lords  for  the  minority, 
and  the  mistake  went  all  over  London.  I  myself  was  shown  a 
letter  by  Mathew  (Col.  Mathew),  which,  from  its  handwriting, 
and  the  office  manner  in  which  it  was  drawn  up,  I  am  sure 
must  have  come  from  a  clerk  of  the  Parliament,  in  which  this 
mistake  in  computation  was  regularly  stated  ! !  Mr.  Pitt's  speech 
on  opening  the  business  in  the  Parl*  here,  I  really  think  very 
good ;  tho',  in  my  opinion,  some  of  the  strongest  arguments  in 
favour  of  a  Union  he  hardly  touches  upon;  whether  from 
thinking  the  cause  too  good  to  want  them,  or  what  other  reason, 
I  cannot  pretend  to  say.  Sheridan's  answer  I  thought  miserable, 
I  mean  in  point  of  argument,  and  in  his  first  speech  he  had 
got  himself  fairly  into  a  dilemma,  when  he  first  urged  the 
independence  of  the  Irish  Parl.,  and  then  its  incompetency. 
The  famous  Irish  pamphlet  in  favor  of  the  Union,  called  Cease 
your  Funning,  which  after  much  trouble  I  got  to  read,  dis- 
appointed me ;  it  is  sharp  and  well-kept-up  irony  from  beginning 
to  end,  on  a  pamphlet  on  the  other  side,  by  the  Ld  Lieut.'s  secre- 
tary;* but  it  is  not  very  entertaining,  and  not  at  all  instructive. 

*  An  official  pamphlet  by  Mr.  Cooke,  the  Irish  Under  Secretary  of  State, 


1799]  WILBERFORCE'S  '  PRACTICAL  VIEW.'  85 

If  our  ministry  open  and  discuss  their  plan  of  Union  here,  if 
that  plan  is  a  liberal  one,  and  if  they  do  not  now  cram  it  down 
the  people's  throats,  but  leave  it  to  be  considered  and  taken  up 
at  some  more  propitious  moment,  I  should  suppose  they  would 
do  wisely,  and  therefore  I  doubt  they  will  not  do  it. 

Here  is  a  long  batch  of  politics  for  me.  I  might  turn  to  your 
other  favorite  subject,  religion ;  for,  in  compliance  with  your 
request  and  my  own  wishes,  I  have  been  and  am  reading  with 
much  attention  Mr.  Wilberforce's  book,  and  likewise  strictures 
on  it,  in  a  series  of  letters  by  Mr.  Belsham,*  a  man  who  has,  I 
am  told,  wrote  several  good  historical  tracts.  When  I  have  done, 
I  will  tell  you  sincerely  the  impression  they  make  upon  me :  I 
can  assure  you  it  is  a  very  deep  one.  My  mind,  always  over 
serious,  grows  every  day  more  so  as  I  approach  that  middle  age 
of  life,  when  the  prospect  of  rational  beings  begins  to  close  in 
upon  them,  and  the  visionary  distance  fades  from  their  strength- 
ened or  weakened  sight. 

I  have  not  sealed  with  black  wax  to  you,  because  I  think  it 
always  alarming  at  a  distance ;  but  I  am  in  mourning  for  my 
uncle  (Furguson's)  only  daughter,  who  has  just  died  of  a  con- 
sumption at  the  age  of  15,  with  the  courage  of  a  hero  and  the 
resignation  of  a  saint. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Tuesday  Feb.  19,  1799. 

.  .  .  .  Your  *  Practical  Education '  f  is  a  title  I  have  long 
set  down  in  my  pocket-book  as  of  a  work  to  read,  which  I  most 
certainly  shall  at  my  first  leisure  minutes.  They,  I  fear,  will  not 
be  many,  for  I  am  going  to  go  on  with  my  Greek,  under  a  mas- 
ter recommended  to  me  by  Charles  Burney,  an  English  master. 
Therefore,  you  will  no  longer  have  reason  to  be  (comically)  angry 
at  my  supposed  obstinacy  about  the  pronunciation  of  Greek.  I 
intend  to  have  him  but  once  a  week,  that,  allowing  for  my  too 
frequent  interruptions  from  bad  health  and  necessary  idleness,  I 
may  yet  be  able  to  work  a  good  deal  by  myself,  without  which 

entitled  '  Arguments  for  and  against  the  Union  considered.'  It  was  widely 
circulated,  and  discussion  of  the  subject  encouraged. — Edinburgh  Heineic, 
April  1859. 

*  Thomas  Belsham,  author  of  '  A  Review  of  Mr.  Wilberforce's  Practical 
View  of  the  Prevailing  Religious  Systems  of  Professed  Christians,'  pub- 
lished 1798,  and  of  a  variety  of  other  works. —  Watts' s  Dictionary. 

t  By  Miss  Edge  worth,  published  1798. 


86  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

little  can  be  done  with  all  the  masters  in  the  world.     This  will 
confine  my  reading  (after  I  have  finished  what  I  am  at  present 
about)   principally  to  what  I  call  reading  up  to  the  day :  I 
mean  pamphlets  and  things  of  the  moment,  which  one  is  left  in 
the  basket  without.     Poor  Jerningham  has  just  published  a 
little  thing,  which  he  calls  'a  dramatic  whim.'*     It  is  not  posi- 
tively bad  in  its  way,  but  it  is  a  way  that  you  would  not  like.   It 
is  a  scene  and  a  frolic  of  Charles  2nd  and  some  of  his  most  dis- 
tinguished  courtiers  at  Peckham,  where  (it  seems)  he  had  a 
country-house.     However,  bad  or  good,  I  rejoice  that  a  book- 
seller has  given  him  40L  for  it,  without  his  name  to  it  (which, 
indeed,  might  have  done  more  harm  than  good).     The  poor  soul 
is  just  now  in  a  distress  for  which  one  must  pity  him,  tho'  it  is 
in  fact  the  luckiest  thing  that  could  possibly  have  happened  to 
him.     .     .     .   Mr.  Sotheby  f  sent  me  his  e  Battle  of  the  Nile.'  £ 
The  subject  must  ever  inspire,  however  recounted,  a  degree  of 
enthusiasm  very  favourable  to  the  recounter.    There  seems  to 
be  a  number  of  good  lines  in  his  poem,  but  the  conduct  of  it  is 
not  to  me  clear ;  and  the  same  want  of  clearness,  I  think,  applies 
to  some  of  his  verses. 


N.  Audley  Street,  Tuesday,  March  5,  1799. 

.  .  .  On  Saturday  Mrs.  Darner  and  ourselves  dined  with 
your  mother  and  brother;  and  yesterday  we  went  with  him,  at 
his  own  request,  to  the  Great  Orleans  Pictures  which  are  exhibited 
at  the  Lyceum,  in  the  Strand.  It  was  my  second  visit.  Among 
them  is  the  Sebastian  del  Piombo  (a  Eesurrection  of  Lazarus ),§ 
of  whose  excellence,  if  you  remember, 

He  talked  so  much  and  long  about  it, 
That  e'en  believers  'gan  to  doubt  it. 

But  he  could  not  say  too  much — I  give  him  credit  for  all  his 

*  '  Peckham  Frolic,  or  Nell  Gwynn/  comedy  in  three  acts. 

f  William  Sotheby,  born  1757 ;  entered  the  army,  in  the  10th  Dra- 
goons, when  engaged  in  protecting  part  of  the  Scottish  coasts  from  the 
incursions  of  Paul  Jones.  In  1798  he  published  his  translation  of  ( Oberon.' 
He  also  translated  the  Georgics  of  Virgil,  and  the  Iliad  and  the  Odyssey 
of  Homer.  He  was  also  the  author  of  '  Saul  Constance  of  Castile,'  &c. 
Died  1833. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Biography. 

I  Published  in  1799. 

§  Now  in  the  National  Gallery. 


1799]      GREAT   ORLEANS   PICTURES SOTHEBY'S   'NILE.'         87 

admiration ;  it  is  one  of  the  f me  pictures  in  the  world — excelling 
in  grouping,  composition,  drawing,  intellect,  clearness,  expres- 
sion, and  all  that  constitutes  the  perfections  of  the  higher  order 
of  painting.  Mrs.  Darner,  he,  and  I  stood  before  it  for  above 
half  an  hour  yesterday  thoroughly  enjoying  it.  I  am  heartily 
sorry  that  you  do  not  see  these  pictures,  for  they  are  by  far  the 
finest — indeed,  the  only  real  display  of  the  excellency  of  the 
Italian  schools  of  painting  that  I  ever  remember  in  this  country. 
And  then  one  sees  them  so  comfortably,  for  there  are  fewer 
people  go  to  the  Lyceum  than  even  to  Pall  Mall,  for  the  pic- 
tures are  all  of  a  sort  less  understood  and  less  tasted  here :  and 
besides,  they  are  without  frames ;  and  besides,  the  Lyceum  is 
out  of  the  way ;  and  besides,  it  is  not  near  Dyde's  and  Scribe's, 
nor  Butler's,  nor  any  of  the  great  haberdashers  for  the  women, 
nor  Bond  St.  nor  St.  James'«St.  for  the  men.  .  .  . 

.  .  .  I  am  well  acquainted  with  Warton's  criticism  on  Pope  ; 
and  tho'  it  is  certainly  open  to  all  you  say  of  its  wandering 
manner,  it  is  as  certainly  never  unentertaining,  and,  in  my 
opinion,  contains  more  candid  and  liberal  criticism  upon  what- 
ever may  be  the  object  under  consideration,  more  enthusiasm 
about  genius,  and  ten  thousand  times  more  real  taste  than  in 
all  the  critical  writings  of  the  morose  and  bigoted  Johnson. 
Whatever  recommends  Lucretius  to  your  notice,  recommends  a 
source  of  exquisite  pleasure  to  your  poetic  mind :  his  meta- 
physics are  naught,  but  his  poetry  is  divine.  Virgil  shrinks  into 
prettiness  whenever  compared  with  him :  but  remember  he  is 
supposed  to  have  died  the  day  Virgil  was  born ;  therefore  he  is 
less  polished,  less  uniformly  harmonious. 

I  have  got  your  critique  upon  Mr.  Sotheby's  'Nile,'  which 
I  dare  say  I  shall  read  with  pleasure ;  but  how  can  you  (except 
indeed  for  a  lesson  to  your  boy) — you,  who  can  so  translate  Gray 
and  may  read  Lucretius,  and  have  little  time,  condescend  so  to 
criticise  a  minor  poet  ?  .  .  . 

Tuesday  morning,  March  12, 1799. 

.  .  .  I  am  quite  impatient  to  read  the  song  of  the  Nile, 
and  shall  certainly  get  it  to-day  when  I  am  out ;  for,  having 
resolved  to  buy,  I  would  not  borrow  it.  I  don't  know  how  my 
'  transports '  may  be  vis-a-vis  des  votres,  but  I  believe  few 
people  (with  a  head  as  prosaic  as  mine)  read  and  regard  poetry 
more  in  its  true  intent,  as  one  of  the  chief  consolations  and 


88  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

ornaments  of  human  life.  I  always  read  to  be  pleased  and 
interested,  to  forget  myself  as  long  as  possible  in  the  charming 
regions  of  imagination,  or  to  rejoice  in  feeling  its  mighty  powers 
giving  irresistible  energy  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  virtue.  .  .  . 
.  .  .  Do  you  remember  my  speaking  to  you  in  high  terms 
of  a  series  of  plays  upon  the  passions  of  the  human  mind,  which 
had  been  sent  to  me  last  winter  by  the  author  ?  *  I  talked  to 
everybody  else  in  the  same  terms  of  them  at  the  time,  anxiously 
enquiring  for  the  author;  but  nobody  knew  them,  nobody  cared 
for  them,  nobody  would  listen  to  me ;  and  at  last  I  unwillingly 
held  my  tongue,  for  fear  it  should  be  supposed  that  I  thought 
highly  of  them  only  because  they  had  been  sent  to  me.  This 
winter  the  first  question  upon  everybody's  lips  is,  '  Have  you 
read  the  series  of  plays  ?  '  Everybody  talks  in  the  raptures  (I 
always  thought  they  deserved)  of  the  tragedies  and  of  the  intro- 
duction as  of  a  new  and  admirable  piece  of  criticism.  Sir  Gr. 
Beaumontjf  who  was  with  us  yesterday  morning,  says  he  never 
expected  to  see  such  tragedies  in  his  days;  andC.  Fox,  to  whom 
he  had  sent  them,  is  in  such  raptures  with  them,  that  he  has 
written  a  critique  of  5  pages  upon  the  subject  to  Sir  George.  I 
mention  these  two  as  persons  of  whose  taste  I,  and  I  believe  you 
too,  have  a  very  decided  opinion.  I  own  my  little  amour-propre 
is  mortified  that,  having  been  honoured  with  a  copy  of  the  work, 
my  humble  tribute  of  unfeigned  admiration  and  undictated 
praise  had  not  reached  the  author  before  it  is  drowned  in  the 
general  voice.  But,  whoever  that  author  is,  they  still  persist  in 

*  Joanna  Baillie,  daughter  of  Rev.  James  Baillie  and  his  wife  Dorothea 
Hunter,  born  at  the  manse  at  Bothwell,  near  Glasgow.  She  was  niece  of 
the  great  anatomists  William  and  John  Hunter,  and  sister  of  Dr.  Baillie. 
In  1798  she  published  her  first  volume  of  plays ;  in  1836  she  published 
three  more  volumes  of  dramas ;  and  at  different  times  several  other  pieces 
of  poetry,  many  exceedingly  graceful.  Died  at  Hampstead  1851,  in  her 
89th  year. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Biography. 

t  Sir  George  H.  Beaumont,  Bart.,  born  in  1753.  His  name  now  stands  for 
the  type  of  convention  in  landscape-painting.  Married,  in  1784,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Chief-Justice  Willis.  He  was  greatly  admired  as  an  actor  in  private 
theatricals;  he  was  a  professed  painter,  as  well  as  professed  critic.  Had  he 
been  poor,  he  might  have  made  a  second-rate  artist.  It  was  principally 
owing  to  Sir  George  Beaumont's  exertions,  and  to  his  promise  of  leaving 
his  own  collection  of  pictures  to  the  nation,  that  the  erection  of  a  National 
Gallery  is  due.  Lord  Dover,  Lord  Aberdeen,  and  Lord  Farnborough  were 
his  first  principal  supporters  in  this  laudable  design. — Imperial  Dictionary 
of  Universal  Biography. 


1799]  THEATRICALS.  89 

preserving  a  strict  incognito,  for  which  I  honour  their  honest 
pride,  which  scorns  to  be  indebted  to  any  name  for  the  success 
of  such  a  work,  and,  with  the  patient  sense  of  real  merit,  has 
quietly  waited  a  whole  twelvemonth  for  the  impression  it  has  at 
last  made  on  an  obdurate  public.  I  fancy  one  of  them  will  be 
acted — the  least  good  one,  in  my  opinion — but  there  are  two  fine 
characters  for  Kemble  and  Mrs.  Siddons.*  She  (Mrs.  Siddons) 
who  was  one  of  a  little  party  we  had  last  night,  spoke  of  them 
with  a  surprise  and  delight  that  did  honour  to  her  taste.  She 
(by  the  bye)  was  at  her  very  best  last  night ;  had  put  off  the 
Catherine,  or  rather  not  put  it  on  since  her  return  from  Bath, 
and  sang  to  us  after  supper,  and  was  agreeable.  .  .  . 

N.  Audley  Street,  Tuesday,  March  19,  1799. 

.  .  .  I  am  glad  to  hear  of  you  at  York,  and  glad  to  hear  of 
you  at  the  play.  *  The  Jew  and  the  Doctor,'  I  felt,  must  please 
you :  it  has  true  comic  humour,  a  sufficient  degree  of  intrigue 
(which,  if  not  new,  is  well  put  together),  and  is  infinitely  better 
written  than  any  modern  comedy  that  I  have  seen.  A  comedy 
in  five  acts  appeared  last  week  at  Covent  Garden  by  the  same 
author,  which  prepossesses  one  in  its  favour,  but  I  have  neither 
seen  nor  heard  any  account  of  it.  Apropos  to  plays,  be  sure 
you  read  the  vol.  I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  last.  There  is  now 
such  a  rage  for  them  here  among  all,  the  few,  people  who  think 
on  these  subjects,  that  they  even  admire  the  comedy  excessively. 
Here,  I  own,  my  admiration  stops;  not  that  there  are  not  many 
strokes  both  of  nature  and  character  in  it ;  the  intrigue  a  com- 
mon one,  and,  I  think,  none  of  the  characters  very  interesting. 
All  this  talking  and  thinking  about  plays  brings  my  own  long- 
forgotten  into  my  head,  which  it  had  better  not,  for  it  always 
gives  me  an  itching  to  do  something  with  it,  and  it  had  pro- 
bably better  be  left  untouched  to  my  executors.  .  .  . 

You,  who  know  the  activity  of  my  mind,  will  be  pleased  to  hear 
that  I  have  got  a  man  to  pursue  Greek  with  me,  recommended 

*  Sarah  Siddons,  born  1755.  Her  father,  Roger  Kemble,  was  manager 
of  a  provincial  theatre.  From  an  early  age  she  was  accustomed  to  figure  on 
the  stage  as  one  of  her  father's  troup.  In  1773  she  was  married  to  Mr. 
Siddons.  She  made  her  first  appearance  at  Drury  Lane  in  1775,  in  the 
character  of  Portia.  She  bade  farewell  to  the  stage  in  1812;  her  last 
appearance  was  in  the  character  of  Lady  Randolph,  in  1818.  She .  died 
1831. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Biography. 


90  EXTKACTS   FROM   MISS   BEEEY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

by  Dr.  Chas.  Burney.  He  is  an  Englishman,  so  that  I  shall  soon 
lose  my  foreign  accent ;  and  he  has  been  all  his  life  employed  in 
teaching,  so  that  one  might  expect  his  method  to  be  good.  But, 
alas !  what  a  difference  I  find  between  his  learning  and  that  of 
my  Greek  Petrachi !  The  one  I  feel  and  see  is  only  a  scholar 
more  advanced  than  myself  in  the  same  study,  and  unused  and 
incapable  of  taking  any  deep  views  upon  the  subject:  the 
other  had  fathomed  every  depth  of  the  language  in  which  he 
first  began  to  speak  ;  and  if  ever  he  failed  in  explanation,  it  was 
only  where  the  accuracy  of  his  ideas  went  beyond  my  powers 
of  perception.  However,  this  man  or  any  other  is  better  than 
none,  and  will  prevent,  at  least,  my  having  the  mortification  of 
thinking  that  I  have  thrown  away  many  months'  time  and  some 
painful  attention,  to  be  left  on  the  threshold  of  knowing,  what 
in  truth  everything  both  in  science  and  taste  refers  to,  and  is 
deduced  from. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Thursday,  March  21, 1799. 

...  I  am  delighted  you  like  *  Basil,'  with  whom  and  with  his 
admirable  friend  I  am  in  love.  Nothing  to  me  can  be  more 
affecting  than  the  end  of  that  play.  The  great  guns  of  taste, 
I  find,  all  prefer  the  other,  except  Mr.  Fox :  I  am  satisfied  while 
convenio  cum  eminentissimo  Carpegno.  The  second  tragedy 
you  will,  I  think,  find  very  affecting  too  ;  it  is  going  to  be  acted. 
The  author,  applied  to  by  the  means  of  Cadell,  still  refuses  to 
come  forward  even  to  receive  emolument ;  says  the  piece  is  before 
the  public,  that  the  Theatre  may  do  what  they  please  with  it, 
only  desires  the  simplicity  of  the  plot  may  not  be  infringed 
upon.  Neither  fame  nor  a  thousand  pounds  therefore  have 
much  effect  upon  this  said  author's  mind,  whoever  he  or  she 
may  be.  I  say  she,  because  and  only  because  no  man  could  or 
would  draw  such  noble,  such  dignified  representations  of  the 
female  mind  as  the  Countess  Albini*  and  Jane  de  Mountfort.f 
They  often  make  us  clever,  captivating,  heroic,  but  never  ration- 
ally superior.  ...  I  have  just  received  a  work  in  2  vols.  from 
H.  More,  called  '  Strictures  on  the  Modern  System  of  Female 
Education :'  J  when  I  have  read  it,  you  shall  hear  of  it. 

*  Character  in  '  Basil.' 

t  Character  in  l  De  Montfort,'  by  Miss  J.  Baillie. 

t  Hannah  More,  born  in  1746,  a  popular  writer  on  moral  and  religious 


1799]  HANNAH   MORE.  91 

Thursday,  March  28,  1799. 

.  .  .  H.  More's  book  will,  I  should  think,  to  you  supply 
everything  that  you  want  in  Miss  E.'s  *  Practical  Education ;' 
for  this  should  properly  be  called,  Strictures  upon  the  Educa- 
tion of  Young  Ladies  as  far  as  it  relates  to  religion  and  morality. 
There  are  many  excellent  details  in  it,  much  good  sense,  and  an 
infinity  of  wit,  for  which  last  indeed  I  think  all  H.  More's  prose 
is  quite  remarkable;  but  there  is  in  her  writings,  as  in  Mr. 
"Wilberforce's,  a  principle  radically  false,  which  in  my  opinion 
vitiates  every  system  built  upon  it,  and  saps  the  very  founda- 
tions of  morality — nay,  the  very  throne  of  God  ! .  .  .  .  The 
world  in  general  has  nothing  to  do  with  one's  faith :  mine  is 
perfectly  satisfactory  to  myself.  Without  disputing  about  or  up- 
holding our  several  doctrines  while  we '  now  see  darkly  as  through 
a  glass,'  let  us  both  endeavour  to  continue  acting  our  parts 
well,  and  we  shall  meet  hereafter  in  some  place  where  we  shall 
both  understand  the  subject  much  better,  and  where  such  a 
disquisition  will  not  be  attended  with  that  human  leaven  of 
error  and  acrimony  which  they  are  too  apt  to  be  here.  .  .  .  My 
Greek,  about  which  I  am  really  anxious,  takes  me  up  some  time, 
and  I  have  often,  for  ourselves  and  others,  what  many  women 
would  call  business.  At  present  I  have  to  talk  and  think  a 
good  deal,  and  never  very  agreeably,  about  a  trusteeship  of  my 
father's  to  his  uncle's  great  property  in  Scotland — an  affair-in 
which  we  are  in  no  respect  involved 

Tuesday,  April  2, 1799. 

.  .  In  the  many  hours  I  have  spent  alone  this  last 
week,  I  have  been  able,  though  by  very  little  bits  at  a  time,  to 
go  entirely  through  Hannah  More,  and  Mrs.  Woolstonecroft* 
immediately  after  her.  It  is  amazing,  or  rather  it  is  not  amazing, 

themes,  and  of  some  dramas.  Her  father  was  in  humble  circumstances.  She 
had  four  sisters ;  and,  whilst  still  in  their  youth,  they  found  themselves  at 
the  head  of  a  flourishing  school.  Hannah  wrote  verse  very  early,  and 
was  the  author  of  '  Coalebs  in  Search  of  a  Wife,'  and  of  many  works  of 
a  very  serious  character,  and  severe  strictures  on  what  she  termed  the 
fashionable  world.  She  was  of  a  most  active  and  benevolent  character. 
She  died  1833. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  liiot/raphy. 

*  Mary  Woolstonecroft,  born  1759,  died  1797 :  authoress  of  'Thoughts  on 
the  Education  of  Daughters ;'  married  to  William  Godwin,  who  published, 
after  her  death,  many  of  her  unpublished  works,  1798. —  Watts's  Dictionary. 


92  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

but  impossible,  they  should  do  otherwise  than  agree  on  all  the 
great  points  of  female  education.  H.  More  will,  I  dare  say,  be 
very  angry  when  she  hears  this,  though  I  would  lay  a  wager 
that  she  never  read  the  book. 

.  .  .  Indeed,  I  have  been  most  literally  alone ;  for  Mrs. 
Darner  went  on  Friday  and  only  returned  yesterday  from 
Brocket  Hall,  where  she  assisted  in  acting  a  play  with  Lady 
Melbourne's  sons.  It  was  'Ways  and  Means,'  a  three-act 
thing  of  Colman's.  I  never  saw  it.  Her  part  was  only  Lady 
Dunders,  a  mere  fat  aid  woman  who  has  only  a  few  words  to 
say.  But  she  put  them  all  in  the  way  of  doing  better  than  they 
otherwise  would.  .  .  . 

N.  Audley  Street,  Friday,  May  17,  1799, 

.  .  .  I  was  much  entertained  by  some  letters  which  Price 
showed  me  from  Sr  Gr.  Beaumont,  Fox,  and  Knight,*  containing 
criticisms  on  the  series  of  plays  which  he  (Price)  had  set  them 
all  reading.  They  were  excellent,  the  ideas  of  three  very 
superior  understandings  and  tastes,  all  struck  with  different 
beauties  and  blemishes,  and  reasoning  upon  them  according  to 
the  varied  medium  of  mind  through  which  they  saw. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Thursday,  May  23,  1799. 

.  .  .  I  fear  there  is  no  hope  for  you  about  the  criticisms 
on  the  plays :  the  letters  were  all,  de  tons  c6tes,  addressed  to 
Price  ;  they  were  only  pieces  of  letters  upon  other  subjects,  but 
he  knows  their  value,  keeps  them  in  cotton,  and  went  out  of 
town  for  good  on  Monday  last.  .  .  I  began  Homer's  Iliad 
on  Wednesday  last,  to  my  no  small  delight,  and  felt  no  particular 
difficulty  in  the  comprehension  of  the  first  doz.  lines.  .  .  . 

Cheltenham,  Monday,  Aug.  5,  1799. 

.  .  .  I  am  in  no  sort  of  hurry  to  leave  this  place,  where  I 
enjoy  a  quiet  in  the  morning  which  I  seldom  or  never  attain  at 

*  Richard  Payne  Knight,  Esq.,  of  Downton  Castle,  Herefordshire ;  "bom 
1750;  well  known  for  bis  great  classical  attainments,  his  love  of  art 
ancient  and  modern,  and  as  a  collector  on  a  large  scale.  His  collection, 
valued  at  30,(XXW.,  he  bequeathed  to  the  British  Museum.  He  was  a  writer 
on  classical  subjects, — '  An  Analytical  Essay  on  the  Greek  Alphabet/  &c. 
&c. ;  and  in  1805  he  published  his  '  Analytical  Enquiry  into  the  Principles 
of  Taste.'  Died  1824. 


1799]  COMPANY  AT   CHELTENHAM.  93 

home,  and  the  rest  of  the  day  lead  a  life  as  comfortably  unlike 
a  public  place  as  can  be  well  imagined.  The  Douglas's,  17 
Spencer,*  and  ourselves  always  meet  at  the  well  of  a  morng,  and 
generally  pass  some  part  of  the  even8  together,  either  walk- 
ing or  at  the  play  (where  we  have  had  Kemble,)  or  sometimes, 
but  very  seldom,  at  the  rooms,  where,  as  we  have  hitherto 
none  of  us  known  anybody,  we  have  had  little  temptation  to  go; 
but  there  are  new  arrivals  every  day,  and  some  agreeable, 
conversable  males  will  at  last  occur,  I  hope,  which  we  much  want 
in  our  society,  altho'  never  did  I  see  so  many  men  in  a  place  of 
this  sort,  but  all  of  them  unknown  both  to  ourselves  and  those 
we  know  here.  Did  I  tell  you  that  Ly  Spencer  (the  Dow.  I 
mean)  had  sought  our  acquaintance  with  empressement,  and  that 
I  have  become  a  great  favorite  with  her  and  her  granddaughter,! 
who  is  a  charming,  natural,  unaffected  girl  of  sixteen,  with  a 
warm  heart  and  good  understanding  ?  She  will  never,  I  think, 
be  handsome  to  compare  with  her  mother,  but  has  much  of  her 
captivating  manner.  She  has  taken  to  me  (of  whom  she  says 
she  has  heard  so  much  beforehand)  with  all  the  overflowing 
warmth  of  an  affectionate  heart  at  sixteen.  .  .  . 

Letter  from  the  Dow.  Lady  Spencer  to  M'iss  Berry. 

Nuneham,{  Aug.  21,  1799. 

You  are  very  good,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  to  give  me  the  proof 
you  have  done  that  I  am  not  yet  forgot.  I  should  have  been 

*  Margaret  Georgiana,  eldest  daughter  of  Stephen  Poynts,  Esq.,  of 
Medgeham,  Co.  Berks ;  married,  1755,  to  John,  first  Earl  of  Spencer.  Lord 
Spencer  died  in  1783. 

t  Lady  Georgiana  Cavendish,  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  wife 
of  the  late  Earl  of  Carlisle,  and  mother  of  the  present :  died  1858.  The 
interest  with  which  this  lady  inspired  Miss  Berry,  more  than  double  her  age, 
soon  ripened  into  a  friendship  that  terminated  only  with  Miss  Berry's 
exiLstence.  If  it  may  be  permitted  here  to  offer  a  tribute  of  respectful 
admiration  to  the  memory  of  one  whose  virtues  were  exercised  so  strictly 
within  the  pale  of  private  and  domestic  life,  it  would  be  to  remark  how 
truly  her  opening  character  had  been  discerned,  how  well  through  life  she 
kept  the  fair  promise  of  her  youth,  and  how  in  her  declining  years  she 
reaped  the  rich  reward  of  more  than  ordinary  devotion  from  those  around 
her,  and  to  the  last  remained  the  centre  of  affection  and  duty  to  a  circle  of 
numerous  descendants. 

|  The  seat  of  George  Simon,  second  Earl  of  Harcourt :  born  1736,  died 
1765. 


94  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1799 

glad  to  have  heard  that  you  had  found  some  old  friends  among 
the  new-comers,  that  might  have  replaced  those  to  whom  you 
kindly  gave  up  so  much  of  your  time. 

We  met  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire,  several  of  my  grchildn, 
and  Miss  Trimmer,*  at  Oxford  :  this  last  is  the  governess  to  the 
Lady  Cavendishes,  whom  I  wish  you  to  notice  when  you  see  her, 
because  she  is  excellent  in  herself  and  invaluable  to  them ;  and 
you  will  therefore  feel  with  me  that  the  more  weight  can  be 
given  to  her  by  others  the  better :  indeed,  she  is  in  a  very  inde- 
pendent situation,  and  has  never  been  on  any  other  footing  than 
that  of  a  friend. 

I  am  here  in  a  most  beautiful  place ;  the  weather  is  delight- 
ful, and  my  early  rising  gives  me  many  hours  to  stroll  about 
before  the  society  I  am  in  begin  to  live.  But  I  want  my  sweet 
child,  to  whom  I  might  point  out  a  thousand  striking  scenes, 
and  I  often  long  for  Miss  Douglas's  pencil  and  yours  to  fix  them 
on  my  memory.  The  way  of  living  here  is  in  the  old  style, 
which  tho'  the  modern  world  would  call  formal,  has,  like  many 
old  customs,  sterling  worth — great  regularity,  decent  magnifi- 
cence, and  much  real  charity  and  beneficence  of  every  kind  is 
daily  going  forward,  besides  a  little  drawing-room  loisir  for 
general  conversation,  which,  when  there  is  anybody  that  under- 
stands what  the  thing  means,  is  not  unpleasant.  But  I  forget  I 
am  only  thanking  you  for  your  letter,  and  not  commencing  a 
correspondence,  for  which  having  neither  time  nor  talent  to  bear 
my  part,  I  am  not  unreasonable  enough  to  request.  I  beg  my 
best  regards  to  Miss  Agnes,  and  my  compliments  to  Mr.  Berry, 
And  am,  dear  Miss  Berry, 

Your  faithful  and  affectionate, 
jjumbie  serv^ 

G-.  SPENCER. 

P.S. — Have  you  ever  seen  the  3d  vol.  of  Mason's  Poems, 
published  two  years  ago  ?  I  never  did  till  I  came  here ;  and  I 
have  found  some  sweet  things  in  them,  which  I  have  been  read- 
ing this  morning  in  the  flower-garden  facing  the  cinerary  urn 
Lord  Harcourt  has  erected  to  his  memory. 

I  cannot  help  translating  the  end  of  a  sonnet  written  in  his 

*  Daughter  of  Mrs.  Trimmer,  the  well-known  authoress  of  children's 
books  and  works  of  education. 


1799]  SCENERY   NEAR   MALVERN.  95 

70th  year,  which  you  will  not  wonder  at  my  being  particularly 
pleased  with, — but  I  wish  you  was  here  to  mend  my  pen. 

Still  round  my  shelter'd  lawn  I  pleas'd  can  stray, 
Still  trace  my  sylvan  blessings  to  their  spring; 

Being  of  Beings  !     Yes,  that  silent  lay 
Which  musing  Gratitude  delights  to  sing, 

Still  to  thy  sapphire  throne  shall  Earth  convey, 
And  Hope,  the  cherub  of  unwearied  wing. 

Lord  Harcourt  makes  me  open  this  again,  to  add  his  very 
particular  compliments. 

From  Miss  Berry. 

Great  Malvem,  Sept.  10, 1799. 

.  .  .  Never  was  any  place  better  calculated  than  this  to 
enjoy  clear,  sunny,  calm  weather.  You  heard  me  last  year, 
after  only  a  slight  acquaintance,  talk  in  raptures  of  it ;  and  I 
assure  you  that  now,  after  a  ten  days'  residence  here,  and  having 
explored  both  the  mountains  and  the  plain,  I  am  quite  con- 
vinced it  is  the  most  beautiful  and  enjoyable  part  of  Eng- 
land, as  to  every  rural  perfection,  that  I  have  seen.  The 
village  is  in  itself  singularly  rural  and  cheerful.  We  are  lodged 
in  the  parsonage-house. 

.  .  We  were  to  have  gone  to'  Lord  Sommers's,  at  Castle- 
ditch,*  in  this  neighbourhood,  to-morrow ;  but  their  house  being 
full,  we  have  happily  cribbed  two  or  three  more  days  here.  On 
Monday  we  shall  proceed  on  our  peregrination  by  going  down 
the  Kiver  Wye  from  Ross  to  Chepstow,  a  navigation  which  is 
famous  for  its  romantic  scenery.  From  Chepstow  we  shall  go  on 
to  the  first  place  upon  the  coast  in  Wales,  where  my  father 
thinks  he  can  get  a  fortnight's  good  bathing 

The  Inn  at  Pyle  in  Glamorganshire, 
Tuesday,  Sept.  24, 1799. 

-...  Of  your  public  affairs  in  Holland  /  have  thought 
wretchedly  from  the  moment  that,  after  the  first  engage- 
ment, the  whole  country  did  not  rise  and  join  the  English 
troops,  who,  on  the  contrary,  seem  to  have  gained  not  an  inch 

*  Charles  Cocks,  of  Castleditch,  created  Lord  Somers  1784 ;  inherited 
from  his  mother,  Mary  Cocks,  the  seat  of  Castleditch,  now  known  as  East- 
nor  Castle. 


96  MISS  BERRY'S  TOUR  IN  WALES.  [1799 

of  ground  but  that  they  fought  for The 

ministerial  prdneurs,  however,  still  maintain  that  everything  is 
going  on  well ;  but  the  Dutch  in  this  country,  I  know,  are  in 
very  bad  spirits.* 

Miss  Berry  omitted,  in  her  brief  summary  of  this  year's 
events,  a  little  expedition  into  Wales,  made  in  company 
with  her  father  and  sister,  and  of  which  she  kept  a  jour- 
nal. The  following  extracts  will  show  the  changes  that 
have  taken  place  in  the  mode  of  travelling  through  this 
part  of  the  country,  and  the  very  different  estimate  now 
taken  of  the  picturesque. 

Monday,  September  16^.  —  Left  Castleditch  (Lord 
Somers's)  for  Eoss  ;  the  road,  most  part  of  the  way,  very 
bad — sometimes  stony,  sometimes  deep  and  very  hilly. 
The  town  of  Eoss  a  wretched,  black-looking,  ill-built 
place.  The  churchyard  neat,  and  the  spire  of  the  church 
pretty,  and  the  view  fine,  but,  in  this  country  of  fine 
views,  not  remarkable. 

Tuesday,  17th. — Left  Eoss  at  half-past  10  A.M.  The 
weather  precluded  all  idea  of  going  on  the  Wye.  The 
road  from  Eoss  to  Monmouth  good — towards  Monmouth 
generally  near  the  river,  and  very  romantic  and  beautiful. 
Monmouth  is  an  old,  ugly,  unpicturesque  town,  prettily 
situated,  and  with  a  very  pretty  spire  to  the  church,  in 
the  same  fashion  and  much  the  same  proportion  as  that 
at  Eoss. 

Wednesday,  18^. — Left  Monmouth  at  10  A.M.  ;  arrived 
at  Chepstow  at  half-past  three,  by  the  river.  The  banks 
of  this  winding  river  are  very  high,  rocky,  and  well 
wooded,  particularly  about  Tintern  Abbey,  which,  though 

*  An  expedition  to  Holland  was  concerted  between  Great  Britain  and 
Russia,  in  the  confidence  that  numbers  of  the  Dutch,  opening  their  eyes  to 
their  real  interests,  would  combine  with  them  as  their  deliverers,  as  soon  as 
they  saw  they  could  with  safety  act  according  to  their  wishes. — Annual 
Register,  1799. 


1799]  CHEPSTOW — NEWPORT.  97 

near  the  water,  is  not  seen  from  it.  The  scattered  cottages 
of  the  village  of  Tintern,  upon  the  side  of  the  hill  imme- 
diately rising  from  the  water,  very  pretty.  The  approach 
to  Chepstow  upon  the  river,  on  coming  in  sight  of  Fierce- 
field,  beautiful.  I  recollect  nothing  finer  than  the  ruins 
of  the  immense  Castle  of  Chepstow  crowning  the  per- 
pendicular rock  that  rises  from  the  river,  and  which  is,  as 
well  as  the  river,  diversified  with  every  variety  of  foliage. 
The  town  of  Chepstow  is  an  inconsiderable  place,  with 
but  one  inn  (the  Beaufort  Arms),  a  very  bad  one,  that 
keeps  a  few  post  horses,  all  of  which  were  engaged.  The 
day  after  we  arrived,  we  were  obliged  to  send  forward 
the  whisky  to  Newport  (sixteen  miles),  in  order  that 
horses  might  be  sent  back  for  us  and  the  chaise.  It  was 
late  before  the  Newport  horses  got  back  and  were  suffi- 
ciently rested  to  return  with  us ;  and  they  were  all  so  bad, 
and  the  hill  out  of  Chepstow  so  steep,  that  they  refused 
to  draw  at  all,  and  others  had  to  be  sent  for.  It  was 
eight  o'clock,  and  long  dark,  before  we  arrived  at  New- 
port. The  approach  to  Newport  was  over  a  long  stone 
bridge,  now  building,  and  left  without  any  parapet  or  rail 
whatsoever  on  either  side.  The  lamps  to  our  carriage 
just  showed  us  our  situation  when  we  were  on  the  bridge  ; 
and  I  am  glad  I  did  not  see  more  of  it,  for  it  would  cer- 
tainly have  made  me  very  giddy,  though  the  danger  might 
be  little  with  tired  horses  who  knew  the  way. 

Friday,  20 lth. — Newport  is  a  small  town,  with  a  pretty 
round  castle  upon  the  edge  of  the  river.  The  inn  is  new 
and  large,  now  building  by  Sir  Charles  Morgan,*  only 
half  finished  and  less  than  half  furnished ;  d'ailleurs  clean, 
and  the  people  civil.  Left  Newport  at  eight  o'clock ; 
breakfasted  at  Cardiff.  The  road  is  rather  less  hilly ; 
still  we  regretted  not  having  taken  four  horses.  Cardiff 

*  Sir  Charles  Gould,  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Morgan, 
K.B.,  of  Tredegar,  and  assumed,  under  the  will  of  his  brother-in-law,  the 
name  and  arms  of  Morgan  of  Tredegar.     Died  1806. 
VOL.  II.  H 


98  MISS  BERRY'S  TOUR  IN  WALES.  [1799 

is  a  small  ugly  town,  situated  on  the  edge  of  the  flat 
low  country  which  goes  down  to  the  Bristol  Channel. 
Cardiff  Castle,  belonging  to  Lord  Bute*  in  right  of  his 
wife  (a  Windsor),  has  been  repaired  ;  was  fitting  up  for 
a  dwelling-house  for  the  young  Lord  Mount-Stuart,f  who 
died.  On  his  death,  the  building,  furnishing,  &c..  were 
stopped.  Some  of  the  rooms  are  floored  and  ceiled,  and 
some  family  pictures  of  the  Windsors  hung  up  in  two 
of  them.  The  enclosure  of  the  castle  is  turned  into  a 
lawn  with  shrubs,  the  ruined  keep  left  as  a  ruin  in  the 
middle  of  it,  and  a  walk  round  the  walls.  The  entrance, 
which  is  the  old  gate,  is  the  prettiest  thing  about  it. 
There  are  the  remains  of  some  dungeon-rooms  joining 
to  it,  in  one  of  which  they  say  Eobert,  William  the 
Conqueror's  eldest  son  (who  is  buried  at  Gloucester),  was 
confined  by  his  brother.  From  Cardiff  to  Cowbridge  the 
road  much  the  same — stony  and  hilly,  but  in  general 
good.  Cowbridge  is  a  wretched  little  town,  or  rather 
village,  with  one  bad  inn,  which  keeps  post  horses.  From 
Cowbridge  to  Pyle  the  road  and  the  country  much  the 
same.  The  distinctive  characteristics  of  South  Wales  are 
hills,  universally  enclosed  and  cultivated,  and  cottages, 
universally  white  ;  and  these  more  often  dropt  about 
singly  than  collected  in  villages.  The  fashion  of  white- 

O      V 

washing  is  so  general  in  South  Wales,  that  they  whiten 
even  the  outer  walls  of  their  little  enclosures  and  their 
pig-stys.  This  certainly  gives  a  clean  and  cheerful  look 
to  everything,  but,  in  a  picturesque  point  of  view,  makes 
too  many  white  spots  in  the  landscape.  Pyle  is  a  very 

*  John,  fourth  Earl  of  Bute,  born  1744  ;  ambassador  to  the  Court  of  Spain, 
1792 ;  created  marquis  1796 ;  married,  first,  1766,  Charlotte  Jane,  eldest 
daughter  and  co-heir  of  Herbert  Windsor  Hickman,  second  and  last 
Viscount  Windsor  of  the  kingdom  of  Ireland — she  died  in  1800;  and, 
secondly,  to  Frances,  second  daughter  of  the.  late  Thomas  Coutts,  Esq.  He 
died  at  Geneva,  1814,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  grandson. 

t  John  Viscount  Mount -Stuart,  born  1767;  died  1794,  aged  twenty- 
seven,  in  consequence  of  a  fall  from  a  horse.  He  married,  1792,  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Patrick  Crichton,  Earl  of  Dumfries. 


1799]  NEWTON — PUBLIC   AFFAIRS.  99 

small  village,  composed  of  a  few  scattered  houses  along 
the  roadside,  with  an  excellent  inn.  It  was  built  by 
Mr.  Talbot,  of  Margam.  The  garden,  which  is  a  shelf  of 
rock  with  a  wooded  bank  below,  is  laid  out  with  extremely 
good  taste.  There  is  an  extensive  view  of  the  sea,  and  in 
fine  weather  of  the  opposite  coast  of  Devonshire. 

Saturday,  21st — Went  from  Pyle  to  Newton,  a  little 
village  at  about  four  miles'  distance,  immediately  upon 
the  coast,  where  the  landlord  at  Pyle  has  a  house,  and 
where  they  receive  people,  boarding  them  together  as 
at  Malvern  Wells  ;  but  the  house  in  itself  is  small,  cold, 
and  comfortless.  It  is  surrounded  on  every  side  with 
loose  sandhills,  which  shut  out  the  view  from  the  sea 
as  thoroughly  as  if  they  were  Alps.  There  is  •  so  much 
of  the  same  loose  sand,  that  it  is  impossible  to  stir  out 
without  getting  above  our  shoes  in  it :  in  short,  a  place 
more  destitute  of  beauty  or  comfort  I  never  saw.  We 
found  here  four  Welsh  ladies  and  an  Irishman  living 

o 

together  at  a  very  bad  ordinary ;  and  as  the  company 
was  not  large  enough  to  be  entertaining,  we  returned  to 
the  inn  at  Pyle  on  Monday  morning. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  Mrs.  Clwlmeley. 

Cheltenham,  Saturday,  Oct.  6, 1799. 

.  .  .  .  The  weather  has  become  a  most  serious  considera- 
tion with  respect  to  the  harvest.  Not  all  the  wheat,  and  very 
little  of  the  barley,  is  housed  even  in  this  country ;  what  you 
are  to  do  in  the  North  I  have  no  idea.  I  had  hoped  that,  from 
the  very  extraordinary  lateness  of  the  season  in  every  respect, 
your  harvest  might  not  be  yet  begun,  and  that  you  might  still 
have  some  fine  weather  for  it  in  this  month.  Wheat  is  here  at  the 
same  price  you  mention  it  with  you,  1 4s.  a  bushel.  A  scarcity  of 
bread  in  the  winter  will  not  mend  our  public  affairs,  which,  I 
think,  are  going  on  as  ill  as  possible  everywhere  but  in  India, 
where  those  who  really  know  say  that  the  death  of  Tippoo  Saib 
for  the  present  entirely  secures  our  possessions,  and  frustrates 

11  2 


100  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1799 

all  the  designs  of  the  French,  even  if  they  ever  reach  India, 
which,  I  feel  convinced,  in  spite  of  the  victories  of  that  Alman- 
zor,  Sr  Sidney  Smith,*  they  will.  As  to  Holland,  if  the  D.  of 
York  f  and  the  rest  of  them  would  but  be  persuaded  to  pocket 
the  affront,  the  sooner  they  all  come  back  the  better,  and  the 
less  disgrace  will  attend  them ;  for  if  the  Dutch,  like  the  wife 
of  the  4  Medecin  malgre  lui,'  choose  to  be  beat  and  hanged  and 
robbed  and  murdered  by  the  French,  it  is  vain  that  we  oppose  it. 
We  may  step  between  and  receive  some  of  the  blows,  but  we 
shall  never  prevent  them. 

The  only  person  you  know  here,  I  believe,  is  Mme  de  Coigny.  :f 
I  never  see  her  in  London,  but  am  very  glad  to  meet  her  here, 
for  she  is  very  entertaining  and  really  uncommonly  clever. 
Mentioning  her  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  book  which  I  am  now 
devouring  with  delight,  though  no  new  one,  and  though  I  am 
now  reading  it  for  the  third  time.  I  mean  Madme  de  Sevigne's 
Letters.  Are  you  well  acquainted  with  them  ?  But  I  forgot 

*  Admiral  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  bom  1764;  served,  1781,  during  the 
American  war  j  shared  in  Rodney's  victory  over  the  French,  April  1,  1782 ; 
and  was  post-captain  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  He  then  entered  the  Swedish 
service,  and,  in  1793,  as  a  volunteer  in  the  Turkish  marine ;  distinguished 
himself  at  Toulon,  under  Lord  Hood.  In  1794  he  commanded  a  frigate, 
to  the  terror  of  the  French  coast.  In  1796,  he  was  taken  prisoner  at 
Havre-de-Grace,  and  imprisoned  in  the  Temple ;  was  treated  with  great 
rigour,  and  his  exchange  refused.  At  the  end  of  two  years  he  made  his 
escape ;  reached  England  in  1798,  a,nd  commanded  in  the  Mediterranean. 
Buonaparte  was  preparing  to  subjugate  Syria.  The  gallant  and  skilful  re- 
sistance then  made  by  Sir  Sidney  Smith  at  Jean  d'Acre  cost  the  French  the 
loss  of  4,000  men,  and  at  the  end  of  two  months  they  were  obliged  to 
retreat  to  Egypt.  For  this  brilliant  success  Sir  Sidney  received  the  thanks 
of  both  Houses  of  Parliament.  His  career  as  a  naval  commander  continued 
till  the  year  1814.  He  died  at  Paris,  1841. 

f  The  Duke  of  York  had  landed  in  Holland  the  13th  of  September. 

I  Madame  de  Coigny,  daughter  of  the  Marquis  de  Conflans  and  grand- 
daughter of  the  Mare"chal  d'Amenthieres,  married  to  the  Marquis  de  Coigny, 
son  of  the  Due  de  Coigny,  Feb.  1775.  'This  lady,  whose  figure  and 
talents,  together  with  the  favour  of  her  husband's  family  at  court,  con- 
spired to  place  for  several  years  at  the  pinnacle  of  fashion  in  Paris,  was, 
during  the  early  period  of  the  Revolution,  long  resident  in  England,  where 
the  cheerfulness  with  which  she  submitted  to  the  loss  of  her  former  bril- 
liant existence  and  to  the  difficulties  of  her  actual  situation  are  remembered 
with  hardly  less  admiration  than  was  excited  by  the  uncommon  liveliness 
of  her  conversation  and  the  quickness  of  her  repartees. —  Vide  Miss  Berry's 
Notes  to  M.  du  Duffantfa  Letters. 


1799]  MADAME   DE   COIGNY.  101 

you  don't  like  gossiping  books,  and  this  is  certainly  eminently 
so.  But  what  a  heart  had  that  woman,  what  a  capacity  of  affec- 
tion !  Then  her  ideas  are  always  so  lively,  so  just,  so  clear ! 
She  gives  you  a  faithful  and  curious  transcript  of  the  then 
world,  and  suggests  more  reflections  to  a  thinking  mind  than 
almost  any  book  I  know.  Besides,  I  love  the  woman,  and  am. 
intimately  acquainted  with  all  her  friends,  and  very  seldom  find 
any  society  in  which  I  pass  an  hour  so  agreeably 

Cheltenham,  Monday,  Oct.  14,  1799. 

.  .  .  We  go  on  just  as  we  did  here,  and  the  weather 
goes  on  just  as  it  did ;  that  is  to  say,  we  never  yet  have  two 
fair  days  together,  and  but  once  since  our  return  one  completely 
fair  day.  What  you  will  do  in  the  North  I  have  no  idea.  Hay 
and  corn  have  already  risen  here  ;  and  the  price  of  bread,  I  fear, 
will  be  enormous,  which,  not  only  in  its  immediate  effects,  but 
in  all  its  consequences  to  a  great  capital,  is  dreadful.  We  must 
hope  to  get  through  it  as  we  did  the  last  scarcity,  and  many 
other  mauvais  pas  which  we  have  seen,  and  which,  when  passed, 
I  always  wonder  how  we  ever  got  over  them. 

.  .  .  .  Madme  de  Coigny  is  still  here,  and  is  of  these 
parties ;  but  they  are  so  little  in  her  way,  that  though  she  makes 
a  depense  d'esprit  that  would  ruin  anybody  else,  she  cannot 
much  mend  them.  .  .  .  Madame  de  Coigny  said  the  other  day, 
speaking  of  the  possibility  of  a  very  disagreeable  man  finding 
anybody  to  marry  him,  *  II  y  a  des  personnes  si  amoureuses  en 
manage,  qu'elles  ne  regardent  pas  du  tout  le  mari.' 

Cheltenham,  Tuesday,  Oct.  22,  1799. 

....  What  think  you  of  this  tour  of  Buonaparte's  ?  For 
my  part,  I  think  it  very  likely  to  be  the  coup  de  grace  to  the 
affairs  of  the  Allies ;  for  if,  as  is  more  than  probable,  he  has 
contrived  to  negociate  a  peace  between  France  and  the  Turks, 
and  now  comes  to  head  a  victorious  army  in  Europe,  what  have 
we  to  oppose  to  him  but  the  arrogance  and  ignorance  of  our 
Ministers?  which  is  certainly  quite  as  remarkable  as  his  con- 
duct and  luck.  If  one  was  not  likely  to  be  so  seriously  involved 
without  a  possibility  of  preventing  them,  in  the  misfortunes  of 
one's  country,  what  an  interesting  and  entertaining  age  do  we 
live  in ! 


102  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

Cheltenham,  Monday,  Oct.  28,  1799. 

....  As  Madme  de  Coigny  for  the  last  week  almost  lived 
with  us,  I  ought  to  have  much  wit  to  repeat  to  you,  which  I  am 
too  unwell  at  present  to  recollect.  .  .  .  She  is  a  cheerful-minded, 
contented  creature,  after  a  fall  from  such  a  brilliancy  of  situation 
as  would  have  first  weakened  and  then  soured  the  minds  of 
most  other  people.  This  I  attribute  in  a  great  degree  to  an 
extremely  religious  education  (the  only  education  indeed  she 
ever  received),  and  which  no  prosperities,  no  dissipation,  no 
anything  has  been  able  to  obliterate  from  her  mind.  She  calls 
herself  *  1'enfant  gate  de  la  Providence,'  and  has  an  unfeigned 
and  uninterrupted  cheerfulness  about  her,  which  she  is  more 
likely  to  receive  from  her  belief  in  such  an  idea  than  any  other 
circumstance  in  her  situation 

I  am  too  unwell  to  begin  talking  of  Holland.  I  have  long 
been  perfectly  convinced,  by  several  circumstances  that  have 
come  to  my  knowledge,  of  the  entire  and  disgraceful  ignorance 
of  our  Ministers  as  to  foreign  politics.  Would  to  heaven,  for 
the  sake  of  the  many  brave  men  that  have  fallen,  that  they 
had  not  given  all  Europe  such  a  convincing  proof  of  their 
ignorance ! — a  proof  by  which  their  own  country,  I  fear,  is  not 
in  a  state  to  profit  as  it  ought. 

....  Do  you  know,  I  doat  on  Mme  de  Sevigne  too  much  to 
bear  her  being  spoken  even  slightingly  of.  I  have  now  read 
her  over  for  the  3rd  time  with  equal  pleasure  and  redoubled  admi- 
ration. I  wish  I  could  convey  this  taste  to  you,  however  you  may 
think  fit  to  despise  it,  because  you  would  find  it  a  source  of 
great  cheerful  interest,  which  is  a  thing  you  want  in  life 

N.  Audley  Street,  Monday,  Nov.  4,  1799. 

.  .  .  .  Imagine  what  the  roads  must  be  when  we  were  11 
hours  and  \  coming  from  Oxford  with  a  pr  of  post  horses  in  our 
own  carriage.  Posting  is  everywhere  raised  to  14  or  15  pence 
a  mile,  and  the  stage  next  London  to  18d.  The  charges  at  the 
inns,  too,  seem  to  be  encreased  in  proportion,  so  that  the  inn- 
keepers, at  least,  will  be  no  losers  by  the  extravagant  price  to 
which  I  see  everything  is  or  will  be  immediately  raised 

I  am  told  the  general  discontent  and  ill-humour  about  Holland 
is  great — well  it  may.*  I  could  almost  wish  it  greater,  that 

*  This  expedition  to  Holland  was  a  grievous  failure.     On  October  17,  a 


17&9]  COMPANY  AT   STRAWBERRY   HILL.  103 

even  sober,  dull  people  might  be  convinced  of  the  total  inca- 
pacity of  our  Ministers  for  foreign  affairs. 

.  .  .  .  The  weather  is  as  completely  wintry  as  it  can  be 
in  December  since  we  left  Cheltenham.  It  has  been  continued 
cold  rain  and  wind ;  wretched  weather  for  the  return  of  our 
poor  troops  1  Most  of  them  however,  I  understand,  are  already 

arrived 

Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  Nov.  12,  1799. 

.  .  .  .  We  mean  to  return  here  the  beginning  of  next 
week.  As  we  find  our  company  a  real  comfort  while  they  stay 
here,  and  that  it  is  impossible  to  be  more  perfectly  at  one's 
ease  and  more  comfortable  than  anybody  may  now  be  in  this 
house,  the  having  effected  making  this  house,  such  as  you 
remember  it,  both  comfortable  and  warm,  is  nearly  next  to 
a  miracle.  The  Burns,  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  you  have  heard 
me  mention  as  very  agreeable  people,  rational,  well-informed, 
and  cheerful ;  and  we  have  besides  sometimes  Lady  Howe  * 
of  an  evening  (now  a  neighbour  at  Twickenham),  some- 
times Lady  Cecilia,  and,  in  short,  no  want  of  extraneous  com- 
pany  Lady  Ailesbury  is,  I  think,  particularly  well 

and  in  good  spirits,  and  is,  indeed,  the  picture  of  what  an  old 
woman  of  between  70  and  80  ought  to  be,  and  so  seldom  is. 
Mrs.  Darner  chips  away  at  her  marble  one  half  of  the  morning, 
and  trots  about  the  grounds  the  other  half  in  all  weathers,  and 
is  much  the  better  for  this  variety  of  exercise 

Lady  Howe,  who  was  at  the  Drawing-room  on  Thursday, 
says  all  the  poor  officers  look  very  thin  and  weather-beaten,  and 
none  of  them  much  like  talking  of  their  adventures.  Never 
was  there  such  deadly  fighting; — our  men  drawn  up  upon  a 
totally  exposed  sandbank,  where  no  considerable  number  could 
ever  be  formed  together  from  the  nature  of  the  country  (which 
I,  who  have  been  all  over  it,  exactly  recollect),  set  up  as  marks 

suspension  of  arms  vas  agreed  on ;  and,  as  the  price  of  permission  to  the 
British  troops  to  re-embark  on  board  their  transports  without  molestation, 
8,000  of  the  seamen,  whether  Batavian  republicans  or  French,  who  were 
prisoners  in  England,  were  to  be  given  up  to  the  French  Government :  the 
combined  English  and  Russian  army  to  evacuate  Holland  before  the  end  of 
November. 

*  Sophia  Charlotte,  Baroness  Howe  of  Langar,  daughter  of  Admiral  first 
Earl  Howe.  She  married,  first,  the  Hon.  Penn  Asheton  Curzon,  and, 
secondly,  Sir  Jonathan  Watkin  Waller,  Bart. 


104  EXTRACTS    FROM   MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1799 

to  be  shot  at  by  the  people  from  their  intrenchments,  and  from 
ditches,  barns,  and  houses  in  the  flat  below  them.  Never  was 
there  nearly  so  large  a  portion  of  officers  killed  and  wounded ; 
in  the  1st  batt.  of  Guards  six  officers  only  escaped  totally  unhurt. 
The  scene  upon  the  parade  when  the  Guards  last  week  marched 
into  town  was,  they  say,  heart-breaking ;  numbers  of  women  and 
children  running  eagerly  through  the  ranks  and  enquiring  for 
husbands  and  fathers,  of  whose  fate  they  were  entirely  ignorant, 
and  many  of  whom  they  were  destined  never  to  see  again !  The 
houses  of  the  officers  of  the  Guards  who  arrived  before  the  men 
were,  they  say,  beset  with  women  for  the  same  purpose.  Heavens ! 
how  much  harder  such  a  duty  to  a  heart  of  humanity  than  any 
they  had  yet  gone  through !  Lord  Chatham  was  saved  by  the 
button  of  his  epaulet,  which  turned  aside  a  ball  whose  only  effect 
was  a  great  contusion  on  his  shoulder.  Thomas  Grosvenor  had 
half  his  moustache  and  the  tip  of  his  ear  shot  off.  These  are 
people  not  mentioned  among  the  wounded.  •  Grey,  Sr  Charles 
Grey's  son,  is  still  at  the  Helder,  and,  they  say,  cannot  live,  not 
having  strength  to  bear  a  necessary  amputation  of  leg.  Column, 
the  maid  of  honour's  brother,  is  shot  through  the  lungs ;  can- 
not yet  be  turned  in  his  bed,  and  is  by  no  means  out  of  danger. 
To  all  these  people  the  French  general  and  officers  behave  with 

the  utmost  degree  of  attention  and  kindness 

My  young  friend  (for  I  cannot  call  her  my  little  friend)  Lady 
Georgiana  Cavendish  came  to  me  in  N.  Audley  Street.  .  .  . 
She  is  a  charming,  warm-hearted,  affectionate  girl.  .  .  .  Lady 
Spencer,  when  we  parted,  recommended  her  to  me  with  the 
most  flattering  expressions  of  all  the  service  I  might  be  to  her. 
In  this  she  probably  deceives  herself;  but  she  shall  not  be  de- 
ceived in  me.  .  .  . 

Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  Nov.  19,  1799. 

.  .  .  .'  My  other  adventures  in  town,  were  going  to 
Devonshire  House  to  see  Lady  Georgiana,  and  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  Duchess.  Hitherto  we  had  only  known  each 
other  at  second-hand.  Her  manner  is  very  pleasing  and 
unaffected.  She  was  excessively  civil  to  us,  and  asked  us  toge- 
ther next  night,  Saturday,  to  the  play  with  her,  where  she  has 
got  a  large  private  box.  Poor  Ag.  was  so  unwell  that  she  could 
not  be  of  the  party ;  but  I  went.  The  women  were  only  the 


1799]  FEENCH   AFFAIRS.  105 

Dgs,  Ly  G-eorgiana,  and  myself.  We  had  all  the  few  men  in 
London  in  the  box,  several  that  I  knew,  and  it  was  very  agree- 
able. There  I  first  heard  of  this  marvellous  revolution  in 
France,  of  which  you  will  see  the  papers  full ;  and,  I  fancy,  more 
than  the  papers  nobody  can  at  present  tell  you.  For  my  part, 
I  think  it  will  be  better  dealing  with  one  or  even  with  three 
rogues  than  500 ;  but  it  will,  in  all  probability,  shortly  end  in 
Bonaparte's  assassination ;  for,  in  a  country  where  every  man 
thinks  himself  equally  able  and  equally  fit  to  govern,  the  go- 
vernment of  one  or  two  or  three  must  ever  be  looked  upon  with 
invidious  eyes,  and  not  long  looked  upon  at  all,  where  murder 
is  no  crime. 

Just  before  I  left  town,  I  received  a  note  from  the  DM  about 
a  print  of  Ld  Orford  that  I  had  promised  her.  She  adds  in 
the  prettiest  and  most  affectionate  terms  towards  her  daughter, 
that  she  must  take  the  opportunity  of  telling  how  much  she  is 
flattered  by  '  the  kindness  I  have  shown  to  her  dearest  Geor- 
giana.'*  .... 

»  Saturday  night. 

As  I  am  sure,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  you  will  not  think  ill  of  me  for  having1 
a  hobby-horse,  and  as  I  hope  that  you  will  not  think  me  very  impudent  in 
urging  its  claims  to  you,  I  take  the  liberty  of  writing  to  ask  you  if,  without 
indiscretion,  I  might  petition  for  one  of  the  private  prints  of  Lord  Orford. 
The  Duke  has  given  me  the  large-paper  set ;  and  I  have  the  greatest  wish 
to  ornament  it  to  my  utmost  with  any  prints,  or  even  scraps  of  writing,  &c., 
that  may  render  it  a  treasure  above  other  copies. 

I  have  got  all  '  the  noble  authors '  that  Harding  has  engrav'd,  and  I  shall 
procure  drawings  of  the  others  ;  but,  in  spite  of  my  eagerness  in  this  pur- 
suit, if  I  am  guilty  of  an  indiscretion,  I  entreat  you  to  refuse  me. 

I  must  take  this  opportunity  of  telling  you  how  very  highly  I  am  flat- 
tered by  the  kindness  you  have  shown  to  my  dearest  G.  I  think  her  a  very 
extraordinary  creature,  from  the  pood  qualities  of  her  heart  and  mind ;  and 
how  much  then,  loving  her  as  I  do  to  adoration,  must  I  be  gratified  by  a 
goodness  which  I  must  look  upon  as  a  very  distinguished  happiness  to  her ! 

Pray  excuse  this  letter.  Je  dors  debout  et  vous  demande  grace ;  but  I 
could  not  help  writing  to  express  my  humble  petition  before  your  departure. 

Pray  say  a  thousand  things  to  Mrs.  Darner,  whom  I  hope  very  soon  to 
see  at  D.  H.  Felicissima  notte. 

G.  DEVONSHIRE. 

DR  MADAM, — You  have  augmented  the  favour  of  accepting  the  print 
which  I  offered  by  your  manner  of  claiming  it. 

Your  Grace  will  observe  that  this  portrait  is  the  same  as  that  prefixed  to 
the  works.  It  is  one  of  the  proof  impressions  which  we  had  taken  before 
we  allowed  the  bookseller  to  make  use  of  the  plate.  There  are  two  other 


106  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  Nov.  26, 1799. 

.  .  .  .  You  will  see  by  the  papers,  which  contain  all  that 
anybody  knows  about  France,  that  the  Triumvirate  have  begun 
their  government  with  just  the  same  bits  of  justice  that  the  last 
Eevolution  did,  only  sending  a  still  greater  number  without  a 
shadow  of  trial  to  Gruiana.  France  is  now  to  me  like  Caleb 
Williams,  or  some  such  vile  interesting  book,  in  which,  tho'  its 
principles  disgust,  one  cannot  help  longing  to  know  what  will 
come  next 

Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  Dec.  3,  1799. 

.  Apropos  to  the  Douglas's,  they  say  his  speech 
upon  the  Irish  Union  is  one  full  of  facts  and  information.  It 
is  directly  in  answer  to  Foster.  The  Irish  Speaker's,  the  only 
rational  one  upon  that  side  of  the  question.  Ld  Minto's,  upon 
the  other,  I  have  heard,  too,  universally  praised  as  the  clearly- 
stated  and  well-reasoned  arguments  of  a  great  statesman.  They 
are  all  published ;  and  if  you  are  curious  upon  the  subject,  I 
advise  you  to  read  them,  which  I  mean  to  do,  not  by  way  of 
making  up  my  mind  upon  the  subject,  which  has  long  since 
been  done,  but  to  read  some  good  sense  and  good  reasoning  upon 
it,  of  which  the  debates  in  the  newspapers  never  contained  a 
single  word. 

prints  of  Lord  Orford,  both  of  which,  I  think,  should  obtain  a  place  in  a 
complete  copy  of  his  works,  and  both  of  which  I  shall  have  the  honour  of 
offering  your  Grace  when  I  return  to  town ;  for  I  cannot  now  lay  my  hand 
upon  them. 

I  have  likewise  several  other  little  scaps,  both  of  prints  and  printing, 
which  in  the  eyes  of  a  collector  are  not  without  value,  much  at  your  ser- 
vice. I  shall  think  myself  happy  in  thus  contributing  my  mite  at  once  to 
your  Grace's  amusement,  and  to  honouring  the  works  of  my  deceased 
friend. 

I  cannot  express  how  much  I  am  gratified  by  the  part  of  your  note  which 
relates  to  Lady  Georgiana.  I  think  I  may  venture  to  say  that  I  am  hardly 
less  aware  than  yourself  of  the  claims  of  her  character,  of  the  integrity  and 
warmth  of  her  heart,  and  the  excellence  of  her  understanding ;  and,  indeed, 
the  great  disproportion  between  her  years  and  mine  makes  your  Grace  per- 
haps the  person  in  the  world  best  able  to  judge  of  the  nature  of  my  affec- 
tion for  her.  It  is  such  as  I  shall  rejoice  in  every  occasion  of  proving,  and 
such  as  will  make  me  follow  her  happiness,  her  successes,  her  evils  in  life, 
with  an  anxiety  and  an  interest  which  nothing  but  real  friendship  can  feel, 
and  real  merit  inspire. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be  Your  Grace's  most  obliged. 


1799]  ORDER   ESTABLISHED   IN   FRANCE.  107 

N.  Audley  Street,  Monday,  Dec.  16, 1799. 

I  have  hardly  been  out  of  the  house  yet  of 

an  evening,  and  seen  but  few  people  in  the  morning :  for  receiv- 
ing morning  visits  in  London  is  the  abomination  of  desolation 
of  time,  of  which  I  never  will  be  guilty — occupied  you  know  I 

always  am  with  one  thing  or  another The 

Mathew  Montagu's*  I  saw  yesterday  morning  established  in  the 
ground-floor  of  the  great  house  in  Portman  Sq%  while  the  old 
lady,  who  no  longer  goes  out  at  all  and  sees  hardly  anybody, 
occupies  the  grand-floor,  an  arrangement  so  proper  and  so 
natural  that  all  the  world  wondered  it  was  not  done  before. 

.  .  .  .  Last  night  we  had  a  comfortable  quiet  game  at 
whist  here  with  only  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burn,  Jerningham,  Mrs. 
Darner  and  myself,  and  Mdme  De  Coigny  the  latter  part  of  the 
evening  as  a  looker-on  with  Agnes.  News  there  is  none,  French 
or  English,  public  or  private,  or  between  Mr.  Burn  and  Mme  De 
Coigny  we  should  have  heard  it.  It  is  but  too  true  that  the 
French  have  left  the  support  of  their  prisoners  here  to  us,  which 
in  this  time  of  scarcity  is  truly  villainous  and  truly  distressing. 
Some  French  people  are  already  returning  to  France,  and  all 
the  Eoyalists  in  high  spirits.  The  fiction  of  having  discovered 
the  little  Louis  XVII.  alive,  nobody  believes,  and  it  is  never 
hinted  at  in  any  of  the  French  papers,  tho'  I  own,  if  true  after 
all,  it  would  not  at  all  surprise  me ;  and  I  have  ever  thought 
when  (if  ever)  peace  and  security  comes,  a  great  many  of  the 
guillotined  will  make  their  appearance  again. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Thursday,  Dec.  26,  1799. 

What  little  I  could  read  during  two  days  and 

part  of  two  nights  has  been  Mercier'sf  Nouveau  Paris,  a  sort 
of  continuation  of  his  former  Tableau  de  Pans.  This  last,  in 
six  vols.  is  one  of  the  most  stupid,  unclearly  thought,  ridiculous 
books  I  ever  saw,  and  yet  I  read  it,  not  without  entertainment 
and  instruction ;  because  I  am  sure  that,  without  intending  it, 

*  Mathew  Montagu,  Esq.,  born  Nov.  1762 ;  married,  1785,  Elizabeth, 
daughter  and  heir  of  Francis  Charlton,  Esq.,  became  fourth  Lord  Rokeky  in 
18L>9 ;  died  1831. 

t  Bartholomew  Mercier,  a  learned  French  bibliographer  and  miscellaneous 
writer,  familiarly  known  by  the  name  of  the  Abbe"  de  St.  Leger,  was  born 
1734  j  died  1799. — Le  Nouveau  Paris,  published  1799. 


108  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  [1799 

he  gives  me  a  better  idea  than  anybody  else  of  the  state  of  mind 
and  the  habits  of  the  people,  and,  consequently,  of  the  real 
causes  which  have  influenced  them  in  the  different  crises  of  their 
revolution,  and  made  them  what  they  are.  Yet  I  can  hardly 
recommend  the  lecture  to  anybody  else :  for  the  facts  he  tells 
you,  and  the  truths  he  lets  you  into,  are  all  drowned  in  bother- 
headed  arguments  which  don't  deserve  the  name  of  reasoning, 
and  false  information,  and  false  ideas.  Of  a  very  different 
nature  is  a  little  book  I  have  lately  read  over  again  for  the  third 
or  fourth  time, — I  mean,  Mackintosh's  accounts  of  his  proposed 
lectures  on  the  Law  of  Nature  and  Nations.  Such  a  compen- 
dious syllabus  of  all  the  leading  principles  of  truth  and  virtue  I 
never  met  with  I  I  mentioned  it  to  you,  I  think,  last  year  when 
I  first  got  it.  My  approbation  has  now  at  least,  none  of  the 
enthusiasm  of  novelty,  but  is  the  deep-felt  approbation  of  a 
plain  understanding  and  a  warm  heart. 

Gr.  Ellis's  work  will,  I  dare  say,  be  very  entertaining :  when 
is  it  to  make  its  appearance  ?  he  always  writes  neatly  and  well 
I  think.  Talking  of  works,  don't  let  me  forget  to  answer  your 
question  about  the  Walpoliana.  If  you  had  seen  it,  you  would 
not  doubt  what  we  must  think  about  it, — that  it  is  infamous  thus 
to  make  a  dead  man  speak,  and  consequently  say  whatever  his 
editor  pleases,  which  is  notoriously  the  case  in  many  instances 
in  the  Walpoliana.,  besides  repeating  private  and  idle  conver- 
sation, of  which,  of  all  other  things,  poor  Ld  Orford  had  the 
greatest  dread.  I  was  at  first  almost  sorry  to  find  that  the  man 
had  spoken  civilly  of  us,  for  fear  anybody  might  suppose  we 
countenanced  such  a  work ;  but  I  am  told,  which  I  own  I  did 
not  expect,  that  it  has  not  at  all  succeeded,  that  it  is  generally 
decried,  known  not  to  have  our  sanction,  and  that  the  bookseller 
has  lost  money  by  it,  which  last  one  must  be  glad  to  hear,  as 
otherwise  the  editor  might,  and  I  dare  say  would,  have  made 
other  two,  or  other  six  such  vols.,  whenever  he  pleased. 


THOUGHTS  ON  ARCHITECTUEE,    1799. 

The  only  art  completely  possessed  by  the  architects  of  this 
country  seems  to  be  that  of  making  a  large  building  look  small, 
in  which  their  success  is  wonderful !  As  witness  Somerset 


1799]  THOUGHTS   ON   ARCHITECTURE.  109 

Place,  all  the  barracks,  and  indeed  almost  all  the  public  build- 
ings of  this  reign  (George  III.). 

London  itself  seems  to  have  been  built  as  if  by  common 
consent  upon  this  principle.  All  enormous  as  it  is,  it  is  only  a 
congregation  of  smaller  towns.  Grosvenor  Square,  one  of  the 
largest  in  Europe,  has  by  no  means  an  imposing  air  in  propor- 
tion to  the  magnitude  of  its  space ;  because  neither  the  houses 
as  parts  of  that  space,  nor  the  doors  and  windows  as  parts  of 
those  houses,  are  at  all  in  proportion  to  it.  Proportion !  that 
indefinable  soul  of  beauty  in  almost  all  external  objects  ! 

Very  different  was  the  art  of  the  M.  Angelos,  the  Bramantes, 
the  Palladios,  and  Scamozzis.  They  contrived,  often  in  a  very 
confined  space,  by  a  division  of  large  parts  in  proportion  to  one 
another  and  to  the  whole  (whatever  that  whole  might  be),  to  im- 
press with  ideas  of  grandeur  and  magnitude.  A  strong  instance 
of  this,  among  thousands  that  might  be  re-called,  is  the  entrance 
into  the  Laurentian  Library  at  Florence,  designed  by  M.  Angelo. 
It  is  just  twenty-two  feet  square,  from  the  middle  of  which 
springs  a  staircase  ;  yet  so  far  from  giving  an  idea  of  anything 
small  or  crowded,  it  is  impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  an  idea 
of  size  and  even  magnificence  on  entering  it. 


110  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1800 


EXTRACTS   FEOM   LETTEES. 

1800. 

'  WE  are  at  Strawberry  Hill  in  November.  We  go  in 
the  winter  to  Broadlands,  and  in  our  way  there  to  the 
Bishop  of  Winchester  at  Farnharu.' 

A  few  extracts  from  Miss  Berry's  letters  to  Mrs. 
Cholmeley  and  others,  together  with  the  play-bill  of  the 
pieces  performed  at  Strawberry  Hill,  and  the  prologue 
written  by  Lord  Mount  Edgcumbe,*  which  were  treasured 
amongst  her  papers,  is  all  that  remains  of  this  year. 

N.  Audley  St.,  Thursday,  Jan.  2,  1800. 

.  .  To-day  we  are  flattered  with  a  thaw,  but  I  fear 
it  is  too  good  to  last.  Most  earnestly  it  is  to  be  wished  on  every 
account,  for  if  we  were  to  continue  to  have  a  very  hard  winter, 
much  cattle,  I  should  fear,  must  absolutely  be  starved,  to  say 
nothing  of  man. 

What  think  you  of  the  man  Buonaparte  ?  f  absolute  King 
of  France,  quietly  established  in  the  Tuileries !  For  my  part 
I  admire  him,  and  think,  if  he  can  keep  his  place,  he  does 
his  country  a  service.  Nothing  ever  gave  me  so  desperate  an 
opinion  of  our  Ministers  and  their  yet  more  desperate  projects 
than  the  abuse  which  is  daily  vomited  forth  in  all  the  minis- 
terial and  soi-disant  impartial  papers  against  Buonaparte  and 
this  new  order  of  things.  Formerly  they  said  we  were  fighting 
and  aiding  the  other  side  because  it  was  impossible  to  make 
peace  with  an  absolutely  democratical  government;  now  that 
an  absolutely  aristocratical  government  is  established,  what 
is  it  to  us  whether  Louis  Capet  or  Louis  Buonaparte  is  at  its 

*  Richard,  second  Earl  of  Mount  Edgcumbe,  born  1764;  married  Sophia 
Hobart,  daughter  of  John,  second  Earl  of  Buckinghamshire ;  died  1839. 

t  Buonaparte  was  appointed  First  Consul.  Sieyes  and  Roger  Ducos  were 
displaced  in  favour  of  Cambaceres  and  Le  Brun. 


1800]  LETTER   TO   MRS.    CHOLMELEY.  Ill 

head  ?  If  the  nation  is  once  in  a  state  to  maintain  the  rela- 
tions of  peace  and  the  conditions  of  treaties,  what  have  we, 
what  ought  we  to  have  to  do  with  the  means?  I  confess  that, 
as  a  •  citizen  of  enlightened  Europe,  after  all  the  various  ty- 
rannies under  which  the  French  have  laboured,  I  should  really 
he  sorry  to  see  them  return  to  their  old  original  worn-out 
tyranny  under  the  Bourbons.  For  slaves  I  am  convinced  they 
can  be  alone  fit,  till  their  many  stains,  contracted  in  the  fange 
of  the  despotism  in  which  they  were  born  and  bred,  have  been 
washed  out  and  purified  by  a  purgatory  of  I  know  not  how 
many  revolutions ;  but  to  return  so  soon  and  after  such  dreadful 
convulsions  to  the  point  from  whence  they  set  out,  even  I  don't 
wish  them. 

I  have  been  reading  (for  the  little  I  could  read)  a  new  novel 
of  Godwin's,  in  four  vols.,  called  'The  Travels  of  St.  Leon.'* 
It  is  an  odd  work,  like  all  his,  and,  like  all  his,  interesting,  tho' 
hardly  ever  pleasantly  so  ;  and  while  one's  head  often  agrees 
with  his  observations,  and  sometimes  with  his  reasoning,  never 
does  one's  heart  thoroughly  agree  with  his  sentiments  on  any 
subject  or  in  any  character.  He  now  allows  that  the  social 
affections  may  be  cultivated  to  advantage  in  human  life,  and 
upon  this  plan  his  present  novel  is  formed.  I  should  tell  you, 
which  I  know  from  Edwards,  that  it  was  written  for  bread, 
agreed  for  by  the  booksellers  beforehand,  and  actually  com- 
posed and  written  as  the  printers  wanted  it.  I  think  you  will 
see  many  marks  of  this  throughout  the  work  if  you  read  it, 
which  I  should  recommend  to  you,  if,  like  me,  you  have  not 
seen  a  readable  novel  for  this  age.  Lord  Minto's  speech  on  the 
Union  is  really  a  very  clear,  logical,  and  admirable  dissertation 
upon  federal  governments  and  the  various  modes  of  separate 
and  united  legislatures,  but  I  do  not  think  his  logic  is  suffi- 
ciently abridged,  concentrated,  and  forcibly  put,  for  a  speech 
delivered  in  any  public  assembly,  where  one  must  always  count 
upon  one  quarter  being  stupid  and  three  parts  idle.  The  first 
frank  I  get  I  will  send  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  of  the  K.  of 
Naples  to  Lord  Nelson,  which  I  think  will  please. 

N.  Audley  Street,  Saturday,  Jan.  11,  1800. 
.     .     .     .    Mrs.  John  Hunter  is  assuredly  and  declaredly  not 

*  By  William  Godwin,  published  1719. 


112  EXTEACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S    LETTERS.  [1800 

the  author  of  the  plays.     St.  Leon,  when  you  get  it,  I  think 
you  will  find  a  very  disagreeable  book. 

Feb.  1800. 

I  am  much  more  disgusted  in  society  by  the  little  impression 
made  by  real  merit,  than  by  the  so  often  lamented  tolerance  of 
vice.  This  tolerance — for  tolerance  only  it  is — cannot  satisfy 
even  those  who  are  the  objects  of  it,  and  could  never  be  borne 
by  a  mind  deserving  anything  more.  By  real  merit  I  don't 
mean  partial  excellence  or  particular  talents,  that  make  them- 
selves useful,  or  desirable  in  this  or  that  particular  situation  or 
circumstance,  for  these,  I  think,  are  always  rated  even  above 
par  in  the  stock  of  common  esteem.  But  I  mean  general 
superiority  of  intellect  and  excellence  of  character.  In  what 
light  must  the  steady,  rational,  consistent  mind,  which  such 
superiority  and  such  excellence  supposes,  view,  not  the  incapa- 
city of  one-half  of  the  world  to  distinguish  them  at  all,  but  the 
very  little  impression  made  on  those  who  have  distinguished, 
and  ivould  be  capable  of  appreciating  them  ?  How  often  will 
they  have  occasion  to  refer  to  that  philosophy  and  knowledge 
of  human  nature  which  must  necessarily  form  a  part  of  their 
character,  when  they  see  that  all  their  excellences  and  all 
their  acquirements  will  not  outweigh  the  most  trifling  object  of 
self-interest,  the  most  open  attacks  of  flattery,  or  even  the 
pushing  perseverance  of  those  who,  conscious  they  have  little 
else  to  recommend  them,  take  care  by  being  always  in  the  way, 
to  make  it  much  less  trouble  to  take  notice  of  than  to  avoid 
them. 

The  false  pictures  given  of  human  life  in  most  novels,  and 
which  alone  (in  my  opinion)  makes  them  dangerous  reading 
for  young  people,  is,  not  that  the  sentiments  and  conduct  of  the 
hero  or  heroine  are  exalted  above  the  common  level  of  huma- 
nity, for  there  is  no  well-conceived  novel  which  is  not  read 
by  many  an  ingenuous  and  noble  mind,  who  can  reflect  with 
pleasure  that  they  have  acted  on  some  occasion  with  all  the 
high  sense  of  honour,  the  exalted  generosity,  the  noble  dis- 
interestedness described  in  their  author.  But  what  they  must 
not  look  for  in  real  life,  what  they  would  expect  in  vain,  what 
it  is  necessary  to  guard  them  against,  is,  supposing  that  such 
conduct  will  make  a  similar  impression  on  those  around  them, 


1800]      PRIVATE   THEATRICALS   AT   STRAWBERRY   HILL.        113 

that  the  sacrifices  they  make  will  be  considered,  and  the  prin- 
ciples on  which  they  act  understood  and  valued,  as  the  novel 
writer,  at  his  good  pleasure,  makes  them.  Among  the  thousands 
who  have  erred  like  Julia,  how  many  more  have  resembled  her 
in  character  and  subsequent  conduct  than  in  possessing  a  friend 
like  Claire! 

It  was  during  the  month,  of  November  this  year,  when 
Miss  Berry  mentions  they  were  staying  at  Strawberry 
Hill,  that  Mrs.  Darner  indulged  in  the  favourite  amuse- 
ment of  private  theatricals,  on  which  occasion  Miss  Berry, 
her  sister,  and  her  father  took  part. 

THEATRE,    STRAWBERRY    HILL, 

November,  1800. 

Will  be  presented  a  COMEDY  in  Two  Acts,  called 

THE    OLD    MAID. 

Mr.  Harlow Mr.  BURN. 

Clerimont EARL  of  MOUNT  EDGCUMBE. 

Captain  Cape  .......        Mr.  BERRY. 

Mrs.  Harlow  .......        Miss  BERRY. 

Miss  Harlow Mrs.  BURN. 

Trifle •.'.'.        MissA.BERRY. 

To  which  will  be  added, 

THE   INTRIGUING  CHAMBERMAID. 

Goodall Mr.  BURN. 

Valentine EARL  of  MOUNT  EDGCUMBE. 

Oldcastk         .        .        .        .        .        .        .  Mr.  BERRY. 

Trusty  and  Col.  Bluff Mr.  HERVEY. 

Slap  and  Security    .        .        .        .        .        .  Mr.  CAMPBELL. 

Mrs.  Highman Mrs.  BURN. 

Charlotte MissA.BERRY. 

Lattice Hon.  Mrs.  DAMER. 

The  PROLOGUE  to  the  Performance  to  be  spoken  by  the 

EARL  of  MOUNT  EDGCUMBE. 
The  EPILOGUE  by  the  Hon.  Mrs.  DAMER. 
VOL.  II.  I 


114        PRIVATE   THEATRICALS  AT  STRAWBERRY  HILL.      [1800 
PEOLOaUE, 

WEITTEN   BY  THE  EARL   OF   MOUNT   EDGCUMBE, 

And  spoken  by  him  at  the  opening  of  the  Theatre,  Strawberry  Hill, 
Nov.  1800. 


Noise  and  disputing  behind  the  Scenes. — The  Curtain  begins  to  rise. 
(Speaks  ivithin.) 

HOLD,  hold !  What 's  this  ?  No  prologue  to  our  play  ? 
Down  with  the  curtain — let  it  down,  I  say ; 
Let  me  go  forth — I  must,  I  will  have  way  ! 

(Enters.) 

So,  I  've  escaped  at  length  ;  with  much  ado, 
With  threats,  entreaties,  ay,  and  wrangling  too, 
I  've  forc'd  my  passage,  ere  the  curtain  rise, 
To  mark  your  looks,  your  thoughts  to  scrutinize, 
And  read  our  doom,  before-hand,  in  your  eyes. 
Long  in  the  green-room  was  the  point  contested ; 
Scarce  to  my  pray'r  a  half-assent  I  'd  wrested ; 
When,  loudly  summon'd  by  the  prompter's  bell, 
(To  young  adventurers  tremendous  knell !) 
Restraint  disdaining,  hastily  I  flew 
To  state  the  case,  and  plead  my  cause  to  you. 
What !  an  unpractis'd,  novice  band  engage, 
With  vent'rous  step,  to  tread  the  awful  stage  ; 
Before  this  dread  tribunal  dare  t'  appear ; 
Face  such  an  audience  as  I  now  see  here ; 
Nor  send  one  humble  messenger  before, 
To  court  your  favor,  and  your  smile  implore  ! 
Thus  did  I  vainly  urge :  they  all  reply, 
'  But  -who  so  bold  will  venture  ?  '     Who  will  P— I. 
Give  me  your  Prologue  ;  let  this  task  be  mine, 
Or  I  '11  no  longer  be  your  Valentine.* 
Thus  then — but  soft !  methinks  I  here  descry 
Smiles  of  good  humour  beam  from  ev'ry  eye ; 
The  gen'rous  sentiment  each  bosom  move, 
That  prompts  to  pardon,  if  it  can't  approve : 
Yes,  in  these  partial  looks  with  pride  I  view 
Our  fondest  wishes  realiz'd  by  you. 
No  more,  no  more :  I'll  hasten  to  my  friends  ; 
Tell  them,  in  their  despite,  I've  gain'd  my  ends ; 
Bid  them  with  confidence  dispel  their  fear, 
Certain  to  meet  a  kind  reception  here. 

*  The  part  of  Valentine  in  the  '  Intriguing  Chambermaid.' 


1800]         MARRIAGE   OP   LADY   GEORGIANS  CAVENDISH.        115 

It  was  at  the  close  of  this  year  that  Lady  Georgiana 
Cavendish's  marriage  was  settled  with  the  Earl  of  Carlisle. 
Miss  Berry's  continued  and  affectionate  interest  in  her 
welfare  is  warmly  expressed  in  her  letter  of  congratula- 
tion to  her  brother,  Lord  Hartington,  in  answer  to  the 
announcement  of  the  intended  marriage. 

Little  Strawb.,  Tuesday,  Dec.  23, 1800. 

Let  me  congratulate  you  upon  what  seems  to  give  you  all  so 
much  pleasure,  and  which  I  enter  into  as  heartily  as  I  can, 
considering  how  little  I  personally  know  the  person  in  question. 
I  hope  at  least  he  is  worthy  of  her,  that  he  is  aware  of,  and  will 
do  justice  to,  her  character.  .  .  .  She  has  a  deep,  serious, 
thinking  mind  and  a  warmth  and  integrity  of  heart  which  will 
constitute  her  happiness  while  doing  right,  and  her  misery  if  led 
into  error.  What  a  character  to  set  out  with  !  What  ties  upon 
her  good  conduct  in  every  relation  of  life  !  It  is  he,  he  that  is 
to  be  congratulated.  May  he  know,  and  deserve  his  happiness, 
by  contributing  to  hers ! 

Let  us  hope  that,  as  she  deserves  all  good,  all  good  awaits 
her,  which  no  heart  but  your  own  can  invoke  more  sincerely, 
or  rejoice  in  more  thoroughly,  than  that  of  your  faithfully 
attached 

M.  BERRY. 


i  2 


116         PKIVATE   THEATRICALS  AT   STRAWBERRY   HILL.      [1801 


PEIVATE  THEATEICALS  AT  STKAWBEEEY 

HILL. 

1801. 

THE  only  entry  in  Miss  Berry's  Memoranda,  for  this 
year,  is,  that  the  amusement '  of  private  theatricals  at 
Strawberry  Hill  was  repeated,  and,for  the  first  time,  a 
comedy  in  five  acts,  written  by  Miss  Berry  herself,  and 
entitled  c  Fashionable  Friends,'  was  performed  by  the 
troop  of  amateur  actors.  The  Prologue  and  Epilogue 
were  contributed  by  her  friend  Miss  Joanna  Baillie,* 
and  are  pleasing  specimens  of  that  kind  of  composition. 
The  parts  were  cast  as  follows  : — 

FASHIONABLE  FRIENDS. 

COMEDY  in  Five  Acts. 

Dramatis  Persones. 

Sir  Dudley  Dorimant       .        .        .  Lord  MOUNT  EDGCUMBE. 

Sir  Valentine  Vapour       .        .        .  Mr.  BEERY. 

Mr.  LoveU Mr.  BROWNLOW  NORTH. 

John Mr.  CAMPBELL. 

Lapierre Mr.  BURST. 

Doctor  Syrop  ....  

Lady  Selina  Vapour         .        .         .  Honourable  Mrs.  DAMER. 

Mrs.  Lovett Miss  BERRY. 

Mrs.  Rackett Mrs.  BURN. 

Miss  Rackett Miss  A.  BERRY. 

Trimming Lady  ELIZABETH  COLE. 


*  Miss  Berry's  intimacy  with  this  distinguished  authoress  appears  to  have 
been  well  established  at  this  time,  and  she  preserved  to  the  last  a  very  high 
opinion  of  Miss  Baillie's  poetical  powers,  and  the  greatest  esteem  and  affec- 
tion for  her  character. 


1801]  *  FASHIONABLE   FEIENDS.'  117 

PROLOGUE   TO   THE   « FASHIONABLE   FEIENDS.'* 

BY  MISS    JOANNA    BAILLIE. 

IN  ancient  times,  when  harvest's  yellow  store, 

In  barns  well  lodged,  call'd  to  the  field  no  more, 

And  good  folks  sat  the  cheerful  fire  about, 

And  merry  mummers  play'd,  and  loud  laugh'd  every  lout, 

Winter  approach'd  with  no  forbidding  grace, 

And  dull  November  wore  a  waggish  face. 

In  the  same  season,  whilst  our  favour'd  land 

Toasts  Ceres'  bounty  and  the  olive  wand, 

We  Ve  dight  us  out  in  guise  and  motley  geer, 

And  thus  before  these  friendly  ranks  appear. 

As  heretofore  you  've  been,  Oh  !  be  ye  still 

The  gentle  judges  of  our  mimick  skill ! 

Before  you  now  we  bring — I  will  aver  it — 

A  comedy  of  no  ignoble  merit, 

If  wit,  and  sense,  and  unstrained  nature  may 

Its  listed  pleader  warrant  so  to  say. 

Such  as  to  please  had  own'd  no  humble  pow'rs, 

Taste,  not  perhaps  quite  so  refined  as  ours, 

In  other  days,  when  plays,  as  plays  have  been, 

Were  written  to  be  heard  as  well  as  seen, 

And  gleams  of  cheering  favour  sometimes  thrown 

On  what  was  said  as  well  as  what  was  shown. 

But  times,  like  the  clos'd  scen'ry  of  a  play, 

With  all  their  good  old  fashions,  pass  away. 

If  nought  but  plot  and  bustle  can  engage 

(That  hunt-the-slipper  bus'ness  of  the  stage) 


•  Hainpstead,  October  14, 1801. 

I  send  you  a  plain  simple  Prologue  of  no  pretensions,  but  such  I  hope  as 
you  will  not  dislike ;  if  you  do,  throw  it  aside,  and  I  shall  not  be  at  all 
offended.  Whatever  1  have  done  in  the  way  of  poetry  I  am  sure  I  have 
lied  well  for  you,  and  that  is  all  the  merit  I  can  claim.  I  should  have  sent 
it  to  you  sooner,  but  I  have  been  very  much  occupied  in  a  great  many 
divers  ways,  and  of  all  things  I  hate  at  present  to  write  one  word  more 
than  I  can  possibly  help. 

I  hope  you  receive  pleasure  from  this  blessed  prospect  of  peace  that  is 
opened  upon  us  so  suddenly.  I  have  rejoiced  heartily,  and  paid  for  our 
clay  and  candles  with  no  begrudging  spirit.  Perhaps  it  opens  to  you  some 
pleasant  views  independent  of  the  public  good.  If  it  does,  may  they  prove 
in  reality  such  as  your  imagination  represents  them. 

Farewell!  and  let  me  hear  soon  how  you  do. 

Yours  affectionately, 

J.  B. 


118        PRIVATE   THEATRICALS  AT   STRAWBERRY   HILL.      [1801 

Your  much-priz'd  favour  now,  so  let  it  be, 
I  drop  my  claim,  and  urge  another  plea. 
This  piece  an  outcast  helpless  foundling  stands, 
Whose  uncapp'd  head  receives  from  worldly  hands 
No  kind  endearing  stroke.     '  Out  on  the  brat ! 
'Tis  harelipp'd,  ricketty,  and  blear' d,  and  squat,, 
And  squints,  and  halts.    Away,  I  can't  abide ! ' 
Alas  !  no  partial  parent  smiles  beside. 
But  do  the  generous  such  sternness  show 
To  the  outcast  and  the  unown'd  ?     0  no  ! 
They  look  on  such  still  with  a  friendly  eye, 
And  in  its  form  ev'n  added  beauties  spy ; 
As  left  and  lonely  things,  with  wondrous  grace, 
Wave  their  neglected  heads  in  some  unbidden  place. 
Then  to  this  gen'ral  sympathy  confess'd, 
A  native  inmate  of  each  gentle  breast, 
I'll  freely  leave  it,  with  no  anxious  fear, 
To  meet  the  judgment  that  awaits  it  here. 


EPILOGUE. 

BY   MISS   JOANNA  BAILLIE. 

WHILST  fogs  along  the  Thames'  damp  margin  creep, 

And  cold  winds  through  his  leafless  willows  sweep, 

And  fairy  elves,  whose  summer  sport  hath  been 

To  foot  it  lightly  on  the  moonlight  green, 

Now,  hooded  close,  in  many  a  cowering  form, 

Troop  with  the  surly  spirits  of  the  storm ; 

Whilst  by  the  blazing  fire,  with  saddled  nose, 

The  sage  turns  o'er  his  leaves  of  tedious  prose, 

And  o'er  their  new-dealt  cards,  with  eager  eye, 

Pale  dowagers  look  and  smile,  or  inly  sigh, 

And  blooming  maids  from  silken  work-bags  pour, 

Like  tangled  sea-weed  on  the  vexed  shore, 

Of  patch-works,  nettings,  fringe,  a  strange  and  motley  store ; 

Whilst  all,  attempting  many  a  different  mode, 

Would  from  their  shoulders  hitch  times'  heavy  load, 

Thus  have  we  chose,  in  comic  sock  bedight, 

To  wrestle  with  a  long  November  night. 

'  In  comic  sock  ! '  methinks  indignant  cries 

Some  grave  fastidious  friend,  with  angry  eyes, 

Scowling  severe, '  No  more  the  phrase  abuse  ! 

So  shod  indeed  there  had  been  some  excuse, 

But  in  these  walls,  once  a  well-known  retreat, 

Where  taste  and  learning  kept  a  fav'rite  seat; 

Where  Gothic  arches,  with  a  solemn  shade, 


1801]  EPILOGUE   TO   '  FASHIONABLE   FRIENDS.'  119 

Should  o'er  the  thoughtful  mind  their  influence  spread  ; 

Where  pictures,  vases,  busts,  and  precious  things, 

Still  speak  of  sages,  poets,  heroes,  kings, 

On  which  the  stranger  looks  with  pensive  gaze, 

And  thinks  upon  the  worth  of  other  days ; 

Where  learning's  rock,  the  time-defying  Press, 

Hath  oft  sent  forth,  prankt  in  its  wordy  dress, 

The  new-coin'd  thought,  in  fair  and  goodly  print, 

Sterling  and  bright  as  guinea  from  the  Mint ; — 

Like  foolish  children  in  their  mimick  play, 

Confined  at  grandame's  on  a  rainy  day, 

Who  borrow'd  robes  o'er  stools  and  benches  sweep, 

And  thro'  chink'd  doors  and  tattered  curtains  peep, 

With  paltry  farce,  and  all  its  bastard  train, 

Grotesque  and  broad  such  precincts  to  profane! 

It  is  a  shame — but  no,  I  will  not  speak ; 

It  makes  the  blood  rise  mantling  to  my  cheek.' 

Indeed,  wise  Sir !     Perhaps  'tis  very  true  ; 

But  lack  a  day !  what  will  not  woman  do  ? 

Ah  !  he  who  o'er  our  heads  those  arches  bent, 

And  stored  these  relics  dear  to  sentiment, 

More  mild  than  you,  with  grave  pedantic  pride, 

Would  not  have  ranged  him  on  your  surly  aide. 

But  now  to  you,  who  on  our  frolic  scene 

Have  look'd  well  pleased,  and  gentle  critics  been, 

Who  have  received,  with  minds  from  caption  freed, 

The  better  will,  for  the  imperfect  deed, 

Nor  would  our  homely  humour  proudly  spurn,— 

To  you,  the  good,  the  gay,  the  fair  I  turn, 

And  thank  you  all ;  if,  here,  our  feeble  powers 

Have  lightly  wing'd  for  you  some  wintry  hours ; 

If  these  remembered  scenes,  that  now  are  past, 

Shall  on  some  future  minutes  pleasure  cast ; 

Shall  still  amidst  your  mazy  fancies  gleam, 

Or  on  your  pillow  hang  one  pleasant  dream ; 

To  right  good  end  we  've  worn  our  mumming  guise, 

And  we  're  repaid  and  happy — ay,  and  wise ! 

Who  says  we  are  not ;  on  his  sombre  birth 

Gay  Fancy  smil'd  not,  nor  heart-light'ning  Mirth, 

Home  let  him  hie  to  his  unsocial  rest, 

And  heavy  set  the  night  mare  on  his  joyless  breast ! 

The  following  verses  may  be  considered  as  a  tribute  to 
the  success  of  4  Fashionable  Friends,'  written  by  some 
approving  spectator,  but  no  name  is  given : — 


120         PRIVATE   THEATRICALS  AT  STRAWBERRY   HILL.      [1801 

Verses  sent  to  Mrs.  Darner  after  the  first  representation  of  the 
'  Fashionable  Friends '  at  Strawberry  Hill,  Nov.  1801. 

Sweet  be  the  rest  and  undisturbed 
That  crowns  the  pleasant  toil  to-night, 
And  long  may  its  remembrance  live, 
Long,  long  be  cherish'd  with  delight. 

Or  if  the  spirits,  highly  wrought, 
Court  not  so  soon  th'  oblivious  hour  j 
If  e'en  in  slumbers  unsubdued, 
Genius  and  Fancy  yet  have  power ; 

(Since  all  that  beauties  choose  to  say 
With  faith  implicit  is  receiv'd, 
Since  ladies  never  yet  could  lie, 
And  tales  so  grave  are  sure  believ'd,) 

0  !  may  the  parent  of  your  child, 
For  your  fond  cares  his  thanks  bestow, 
Farquhar  support  the  trembling  sprite, 
While  Darner  wreathes  his  modest  brow. 

Mark  how  he  bends  to  sprightly  Burn, 
See  how  he  kneels  at  Berry's  feet, 
And  owns  that,  but  for  Edgcumbe's  worth, 
He  could  have  punish'd  foul  deceit 

That  youth — O'Brien  is  his  name  ? 
His  hand  the  grateful  Bard  shall  seize, 
Glad  on  some  stage  to  find  again 
One  gentleman  who  moves  with  ease. 

The  vision  flies — but  not  in  dreams 
Alone  shall  live  this  pleasant  night, 
For  long  shall  its  remembrance  live, 
Long,  long  be  cherish'd  with  delight. 

The  more  critical  prose  opinion,  which  appears  to  have 
been  written  by  some  other  spectator,  but  to  whose  MS. 
no  name  is  appended,  was  certainly  encouraging  to  give 
a  wider  publicity  than  that  of  private  theatricals  to 
'  Fashionable  Friends.' 

The  great  strength  of  the  play  is  witty  sprightly  dialogue, 
kept  up  uniformly  throughout,  without  ever  flagging  in  any 
part ;  and  in  the  great  skill  with  which  one  of  the  chief  cha- 
racters, Lady  Selina,  is  drawn :  the  weakness,  if  it  has  any, 
seems  to  me  to  be  this,  that  the  plan  and  conduct  of  the  plot 


1801]  '  FASHIONABLE   FRIENDS.'  121 

resemble  those  of  many  plays  that  we  have  already,  and  the 
first  part  of  the  play  has,  perhaps,  less  action  carried  on  in  it 
than  the  present  taste  in  plays  may  require.  I  think,  however, 
that  its  strength  will  do  more  than  get  the  better  of  its  weak- 
ness, and  that  represented  in  a  theatre  where  the  dialogue  may 
be  distinctly  heard,  it  will  meet  with  the  warmest  applause. 

The  event  of  the  following  year  unhappily  proved  that 
this  prophecy  was  not  fulfilled. 


122  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 


1802. 

THE  state  of  the  Continent  now  enabled  Miss  Berry 
again  to  indulge  in  her  taste  for  foreign  travel,  and  after 
an  interval  of  eleven  years,  she  left  England  with  Mrs. 
Darner,  on  a  visit  to  Paris. 

A  visit  of  scarcely  more  than  a  month's  duration,  to  a 
foreign  country,  can  furnish  but  little  deeper  than  surface 
knowledge  of  its  social  and  political  condition  ;  in  so  short 
a  time,  little  can  be  gathered  which  does  not  come  under 
the  traveller's  own  immediate  observation. 

Miss  Berry  made  notes  of  what  she  saw  and  of  who  she 
saw.  The  social  habits  and  the  persons  composing  the 
society  through  which  she  was  now  passing,  had  under- 
gone great  changes  since  she  had  last  been  in  France, 
and  she  set  down  in  detail  whatever  came  before  her  eyes. 
Her  Journal  is,  strictly  speaking,  a  daily  account  of  what 
she  saw  and  did  at  Paris,  and  nothing  more  ;  it  contains 
neither  essays,  speculations,  or  prophecies.  She  saw  and 
made  acquaintance  with  many  whose  names  had  already 
become  historical,  but  had  more  opportunity  of  observing 
their  personal  appearance  than  of  judging  of  their  cha- 
racter or  conversation  ;  to  her  it  was  the  exchange  from  the 
misty  ideas  associated  with  mere  names,  to  the  substantive 
reality  of  living  men,  and  though  the  perusal  of  her 
Journal  cannot  impart  a  similar  gratification  to  others, 
it  tends  to  approximate  the  reader  to  those  times  and 
scenes,  to  which  he  is  thus  introduced,  by  an  eye-witness. 

Miss  Berry  was  much  impressed  with  the  magnificence 
of  the  interior  decorations  of  the  Tuileries,  and  of  the 
official  houses  of  ministers,  &c. ;  but  so  great  has  been 
the  subsequent  development  of  manufacturing  power  and 


1802]  FROM   LOXDOX   TO   DOVEE.  123 

tasteful  skill,  that  many  objects  which  then  excited  her 
surprise  by  their  richness  and  splendour,  are  now  within 
reach  of  moderate  fortunes  to  procure,  and  the  silk 
hangings,  embroidered  muslins,  rich  candelabra,  and  orna- 
mental furniture,  &c.,  are  to  be  found  repeated  over 
and  over  again  in  the  large  country-houses  of  England. 
Some  allowance  must  also  be  made  for  the  heightened 
effect  which  novelty  and  fashion  give  to  whatever  is 
decorative.  It  would  seem,  for  instance,  that  in  1802 
the  combination  of  mahogany  and  ormolu,  carried  with 
it  ideas  of  richness  and  elegance,  that  it  would  not  now 
convey,  and  handsome  mirrors  were  thought  to  have 
gained  in  effect  by  light  drapery,  in  place  of  the  massive 
gold  frames  now  again  so  highly  prized ;  but  Miss  Berry 
was  an  experienced  judge  of  luxury  and  magnificence, 
and  the  impression  conveyed  to  her  mind  by  what  she 
saw  of  republican  splendour  was  no  doubt  correct,  ac- 
cording to  the  taste  of  the  time. 

JOURNAL. 

Monday,  March  8th. — Left  London  at  half-past  eleven 
o'clock,  arrived  at  Sittingbourne  at  seven  in  the  evening. 
The  road  from  London  to  Dartford  so  very  deep  in  stiff 
mud  that  four  horses  could  hardly  drag  the  coach  (though 
by  no  means  heavy)  at  more  than  a  foot's  pace  for  several 
miles  together.  The  morning  foggy  and  very  cold.  No 
great  road  that  I  know  in  England  is  so  tedious  to  travel 
as  this  to  Dover ;  the  stages  are  long,  the  road  continually 
up  and  down  hills,  several  of  which  are  long  and  severe, 
and  the  postilions  in  all  the  stages  stop  at  a  half-way 
house  to  give  their  horses  water.  To  go  from  London 
to  Dover  in  one  day  would  at  the  best  time  of  the  year 
be  a  very  long  day's  journey.* 

*  This  once  laborious  day's  journey  is  now  accomplished  in  2  hours  and 
20  min. ;  and  that  from  London  to  Paris  in  9  hours. 


124  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

Tuesday r,  9^A.  —  Arrived  at  Dover  at  half-past  one 
o'clock.  The  day  bright  and  sunny,  but  cold,  with  a 
great  deal  of  wind  at  north-east.  The  country  about 
Canterbury  pretty,  even  at  this  bare  season.  Saw  Dover 
Castle  from  a  hill  six  miles  from  Dover.  The  York  Hotel 
at  Dover  much  more  cheerfully  situated,  looking  to  the 
sea,  than  the  '  City  of  London,'  and  the  accommodation 
much  better.  Since  dinner  I  have  walked  down  to  the 
pier ;  though  I  have  twice  landed  here  before  from  France, 
I  was  always  sick  and  sorry,  and  in  a  hurry  to  get  away, 
and  never  walked  about  the  place.  It  is  picturesquely 
situated  close  under  its  high  chalk  cliffs,  the  most  elevated 
point  of  which  is  surmounted  by  its  fine  and  extensive 
castle,  its  inner  and  outer  harbour,  both  crowded  with 
shipping,  which  interrupts  the  view  of  a  number  of  mean- 
looking  houses.  All  this  I  have  seen  this  afternoon 
lighted  up  by  a  bright  sun,  and  it  has  struck  me  very 
much.  Had  we  arrived  here  a  couple  of  hours  sooner, 
so  as  to  have  got  our  carriage  on  board,  and  to  have 
saved  the  tide,  there  was  wind  enough  to  have  carried 
us  to  Calais  in  two  hours  and  a  half ;  but  having  missed 
the  day's  tide,  it  would  be  useless  to  sail  in  the  night,  as 
at  whatever  time  we  reached  Calais  we  should  be  kept 
on  board  our  vessel  till  the  morning. 

Wednesday,  lO^A. — A  clear  sunny  day,  with  hardly  a 
cloud.  Went  on  board  the  Swift,  Captain  Blake,  at 
Dover  quay,  at  eleven  o'clock ;  got  to  Calais  harbour  at 
ten  minutes  past  four,  and  alongside  the  quay  in  ten 
minutes  more,  the  same  tide  carrying  us  from  one 
harbour  to  the  other.  The  pier  and  the  quay  were 
crowded  with  sailor-looking  people,  as  there  was  another 
English  packet  just  leaving  the  quay  with  a  number  of 
passengers. 

A  shabby  custom-house  officer  immediately  came  on 
board  the  vessel  (an  old  invalid  officer  or  soldier,  I  know 
not  which),  begged  to  see  our  passports,  and  desired  us  to 


1802]  CALAIS.  125 

write  down  our  names  and  nations.  We  were  kept  on 
board  till  somebody  from  the  vessel  had  gone  and  re- 
turned to  some  municipal  officer ;  not  the  smallest  rude 
comment  or  remark  was  made  upon  us  by  the  crowd 
upon  the  quay,  and  the  moment  the  captain  said  we 
might  leave  the  vessel,  half  a  dozen  dirty  civil  hands 
were  held  out  to  help  us  up  the  ladder.  With  the 
captain  of  our  vessel  and  the  old  invalid  (or  whatever 
he  was)  we  proceeded  first  to  one  of  the  low  small 
houses  close  by  the  quay,  where  our  names  and  nations 
were  again  set  down,  and  then  to  a  sort  of  bureau  of  the 
custom-house,  where  we  were  desired  to  declare  if  we 
had  anything  upon  us  contre  les  droits ;  our  declaration 
in  the  negative  being  immediately  taken,  we  went,  still 
with  our  captain,  our  old  invalid,  and  M.  Quillaque  (the 
successor  of  M.  Dessein),  who  had  now  joined  us,  to 
the  Hotel  de  Ville,  where  the  commissaire  de  police  read 
our  passport,  and  everyone  answered  to  their  names. 
Here  we  left  our  pass  from  M.  Otto  *  with  a  promise 
from  the  commissaire  that  we  should  have  his  that  even- 
ing. All  these  ceremonies  passed  without  any  rudeness, 
impertinent  questions,  or  delays  whatsoever. 

From  the  Maison  de  Ville  we  went  directly  to  Des- 
sein's,  and  were  in  possession  of  a  very  comfortable 
apartment  by  five  o'clock.  The  only  thing  that  I  re- 
marked with  surprise  at  Calais  was  that  in  passing  from 
the  quay  through  the  gates  and  the  market-place,  and 
from  thence  to  the  inn,  I  did  not  see  one  single  soldier 
except  a  sentinel  at  the  door  of  the  Maison  de  Ville. 
Pessein's  inn  is  very  clean  and  comfortable,  but  neither 
the  cooking  nor  the  wine  good,  and  immoderately  dear. 

*  Louis  Guillaume  Otto,  a  native  of  Baden,  was  the  French  commissioner 
for  prisoners  in  England.  He  was  born  1754 ;  employed  in  early  life  by  M. 
de  la  Luzerae,  made  Comte  de  Moslay  by  Buonaparte  in  1805,  and  a  Peer 
of  France  by  Louis  XVIII. — Correspondence  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  vol.  iii. 
p.  385. 


MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isoa 

Thursday,  1.1th. — Left  Calais  between  eight  and  nine 
o'clock.  The  first  thing  that  must  strike  anybody  who 
knew  the  appearance  of  this  part  of  the  country  formerly, 
is  the  improved  state  of  cultivation,  all  the  land  looking 
clean,  well  cropped,  and  neatly  ploughed,  and  the  cottages 
cleaner  (on  the  outside  at  least)  and  infinitely  more  com- 
fortable than  they  were.  I  think,  too,  those  scattered 
about  the  country  were  more  numerous  than  formerly. 
The  people,  the  children  particularly,  struck  me  as  look- 
ing much  better,  fatter,  fairer,  and  better  fed.*  The  only 
buildings  that  wear  a  melancholy  and  ruinous  appearance 
in  the  country  are  the  poor  churches,  all  of  which,  even 
in  the  little  villages,  have  their  windows  broken,  the  tops 
of  their  spires  knocked  off,  and  with  most  of  them  their 
roofs  falling  to  pieces ;  at  the  same  time  I  believe  they 
are  almost  all  used.  Those  belonging  to  abbeys,  of 
which  in  the  course  of  this  day's  journey  we  passed  two 
or  three,  are,  for  the  most  part,  actually  pulled  down. 
They  have  been  sold  to  individuals  with  ground  belong- 
ing to  the  establishment,  and  have  been  taken  down  piece- 
meal as  they  found  means  of  using  or  disposing  of  the 
materials. 

The  road  between  Calais  and  Montreuil  is  excellent. 
Between  every  change  of  horses  there  is  now  one,  and 
generally  two  turnpikes, — a  simple  bar,  which  would, 
in  case  of  necessity,  push  across  the  road,  not  like  our 
gates.  The  tolls  are  very  high  (for  a  berlin  with  six 
horses  and  a  courier,  57  livres  between  Calais  and 
Paris,  2Z.  7s.  6d.),  and  I  find,  it  is  supposed,  at  present, 
that  the  necessities  of  the  Government  do  not  allow  much 

*  Miss  Berry's  personal  observations  on  this  subject  fully  bear  out  M. 
de  Tocqueville's  opinions,  written  about  fifty  years  later : — '  La  revolution 
d'ailleurs  n'avait  pas  accable"  le  pays  d'une  maniere  e"gale  ;  quelques-uns  en 
avaient  porte"  le  faix,  un  grand  nombre  y  avaient  trouve"  des  biens  tres-pre- 
cieux  mele's  aux  maux  qu'elle  causait.  Je  crois  que  le  peuple  proprement 
dit  avait  e'te'  beaucoup  moins  atteint  dans  son  bien-etre  qu'on  ne  se  1'imagine 
commune'ment.' — CEuvres  et  Correspondance  inedites  d1  Alexis  de  Tocqueoitte, 
par  Gustave  de  Beaumont. 


1802]  CALAIS   TO   MONTREUIL.  127 

of  it  to  go  to  the  conservation  of  the  road.  However, 
there  were  many  people  working  where  it  was  out  of 
repair.  At  Saumer,  a  wretched  little  town  two  posts 
from  Boulogne,  where  the  carriage,  according  to  the 
ancien  regime,  was  surrounded  by  beggars,  I  observed 
the  first  tree  of  liberty  I  have  yet  seen.  It  was  a  shabby 
little  lime,  which  had  been  transplanted  when  too  old  to 
flourish,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  little  white  railing,  in 
the  place  or  market-place. 

At  Montreuil,  where  we  slept,  1'Eglise  de  Notre  Dame, 
the  principal  church  in  the  town,  is  an  entire  ruin, 
nothing  remaining  but  a  part  of  the  walls,  the  broken 
tracery  of  some  very  handsome  Gothic  windows,  and 
one  or  two  of  the  Gothic  pillars  of  the  inside.  On 
questioning  the  people  at  the  inn  at  what  time  their 
church  was  demolie,  they  all  denied  it  being  demo- 
lished, and  said  it  had  fallen  down.  At  last  the  maid 
who  was  waiting  upon  us  owned  that  it  had  been 
pulled  down — that  a  rich  individual  of  the  town  had 
bought  the  church  and  meant  to  preserve  it,  but  that  the 
people  of  the  place,  dans  le  temps  de  la  terreur  (which 
they  now  all  talk  of  as  if  it  had  taken  place  in  the 
days  of  St.  Louis),  had  threatened  him  with  the  guil- 
lotine if  he  did  not  allow  it  to  be  destroyed,  and  so, 
indeed,  it  has  been  most  completely.  But  what  struck 
us  extremely,  was  the  sort  of  shyness  which  the  people 
had,  both  to  ourselves  and  servants,  of  owning  this,  or 
allowing  it  to  have  been  demolished,  as  if  they  considered 
it  as  a  disgrace.  Two  convents  were  likewise  destroyed 
in  this  little  town.  It  possessed  no  less  than  seven 
churches ;  the  one  I  have  mentioned  is  the  only  one 
destroyed,  but  of  the  seven  there  are  but  two  open  for 
worship.  All  the  chateaux  (of  which  we  passed  several 
small  ones  in  this  day's  journey)  in  part  or  in  whole  shut 
up  and  visibly  neglected,  but  not  defaced  or  pulled  down. 

Friday,  \'2th. — Left  Montreuil.  The  road  sandy  and 
the  country  near  it  very  open,  but  everywhere  well 


128  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [1502 

cultivated.  Much  wood  about  a  long  straggling  village 
through  which  we  passed,  all  the  houses  thatched,  and 
every  one  having  a  gardener  an  orchard  belonging  to  them. 

At  Namport,  the  first  post  from  Montreuil,  a  wretched 
village,  a  shabby  wooden  cross  is  still  subsisting,  placed 
against  a  bank,  the  first  I  have  seen  in  France.  Of  a 
large  chateau  very  near  the  road,  in  a  village  near  Nou- 
vion,  the  windows  were  broken  and  shut  up,  and  the  woods 
and  walks  neglected  but  not  cut  down.  Abbeville,  which 
is  a  large  town,  struck  me  as  looking  very  wretched  ;  in- 
deed, it  is  the  appearance  of  the  country,  its  culture,  and 
its  inhabitants,  not  of  the  towns  and  little  bourgs,  that  is 
improved.  The  fortifications  of  Abbeville  seem  quite 
neglected,  and  in  some  places  pulled  down.  I  observed 
fixed  against  the  gate  a  Defense  aux  Citoyens,  in  the  name 
of  liberte  and  egalite,  to  pull  down  or  injure  the  walls,  &c. 
There  is  a  small  barrack  near  the  gate,  at  the  entrance  of 
which  I  saw  a  dragoon,  absolutely  the  first  soldier  (the 
sentinel  at  Calais  excepted)  I  have  seen  in  France.  While 
our  horses  were  changing,  observing  a  church  very  near 
the  post-house  less  mutilated  than  usual  and  open,  I  ran 
over  to  see  it.  It  was  in  tolerable  good  order  inside,  with 
some  pictures  remaining,  and  the  brass  candlesticks  of  the 
principal  altar.  In  each  of  the  side  aisles  was  a  priest 
standing  at  a  table  and  surrounded  by  above  a  hundred 
poor  ragged  children  of  both  sexes,  whom  he  was  hearing 
their  catechism.  Eoad  beyond  Abbeville  planted  with 
apple  trees  on  each  side  for  several  miles,  all  of  which  are 
in  good  order,  and  many  young  ones  neatly  and  carefully 
planted. 

Flexcourt  and  Pecquigny  are  wretched  villages  in  the 
old  style,  full  of  beggars.  At  Flexcourt  we  were  detained 
twenty  minutes  for  horses.  Near  Pecquigny,  on  the  bank 
of  the  Somme,  is  the  very  large  Abbaye  du  Garde.*  The 

*  The  Abbaye  du  Garde  is  occupied  by  monks  of  the  order  of  La  Trappe. 
— Murray's  Handbook,  1844.  The  present  proprietor  of  the  Abbaye  du  Garde 
is  M.  Bocquillon  de  Genlis.  1860. 


1802]  AMIENS.  129 

church  is  entirely  pulled  down.  The  Abbaye,  which 
looks  like  a  large  modern-built  chateau,  is  purchased  by 
a  negociant  of  Amiens,  who  inhabits  it  as  his  country 
house.  Immediately  above  the  village  of  Pecquigny  is  a 
large  chateau  of  the  Cte.  D'Artois's,*  with  half  the  roof 
off  and  otherwise  quite  ruined. 

Arrived  at  Amiens,  through  a  very  long,  straggling, 
dirty  faubourg.  The  town  itself  looks  well,  and  has 
wide  and  good  streets.  The  cathedral  here  has  not  been 
touched,  and  the  people  boast  they  have  heard  much 
more  than  they  have  seen  of  the  Eevolution.  We  sent 
a  note  to  Lord  Cornwallis  to  enquire  after  him,  asking  his 
orders  for  Paris.  Mr.  Merry  f  knew  of  our  coming,  and 
was  with  us  in  an  hour  after  we  arrived.  The  account 
he  gave  of  the  way  in  which  the  negotiators  pass  their 
time  at  Amiens  was  curious.  Lord  Cornwallis  riding 
every  morning,  and  Joseph  Buonaparte  not  getting  up 
till  one  or  two  o'clock.  The  conferences,  which  are  very 

*  The  Castle  of  Pecquigny  was  built  at  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
Madame  de  Sevigne"  thus  describes  it  in  her  letter,  dated  April  27,  1639 : — 
'  C'est  un  vieux  batiment  (Sieve"  au-dessus  de  la  ville  comme  Grignan  ;  un 
parfaitement  beau  chapitre  comme  en  Grignan  ;  un  doyen,  douze  chanoines ; 
je  ne  sais  si  la  fondation  est  aussi  belle,  mais  ce  sont  des  terrasses  sur  la 
riviere  de  Somme  qui  fait  cent  tours  dans  les  prairies ;  voila  ce  qui  n'est 
point  a  Grignan.  II  y  a  un  camp  de  Ce"sar  a  un  quart  de  lieu  d'ici,  dont  on 
respecte  encore  les  tranche'es.' 

The  castle  of  Pecquigny  was  sold  by  Jean  d'Ailly,  in  1774,  for  500.000  frs. 
to  M.  de  Ber,  who  resold  it  the  following  year  to  the  Jew  Calmer ;  finding 
his  religion  deprived  him  of  the  power  of  appointing  to  the  dependent 
livings,  he  resold  it  to  the  Comte  d'Artois,  who  kept  it  till  the  Revo- 
lution. The  castle  was  then  sold  as  national  property.  It  belongs  now 
to  the  Baron  Adrien  de  Morgan,  Membre  du  Conseil  General  de  la  Somme, 
who  bought  it  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago  from  the  post-master  at  Pec- 
quigny. 

f  Lord  Cornwallis,  in  writing  to  a  friend,  says  of  his  mission  : — '  My 
family  on  this  occasion  is  circumscribed,  and,  exclusively  of  Mr.  Merry,  who 
hiv,  been  negotiating  at  Paris,  and  Mr.  Moore,  of  the  Secretary  of  State's 
office,  who  is  to  act  under  him,  consists  only  of  Lt.-Col.  Li ttlehales,  and 
Lt.-Cc.l.  Nightiugall.'  Mr.  Andrew  Merry  married,  in  1803,  the  widow  of 
John  Leather,  Esqr.,  was  Minister  in  France,  the  United  States,  Denmark, 
and  Sweden,  from  April  1802  to  April  1809.  He  died  1836.— Corre- 
spondence of  Lord  Comioallis,  vol.  iii.  p.  384. 
VOL.  II.  K 


130  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

frequent,  never  begin  till  three  or  four,  and  last  till  dinner, 
which  is  never  sooner  than  six,  seven,  or  eight  o'clock. 
These  dinners  are  confined  to  a  round  of  four  or  five 
houses,  of  which  the  Prefect  and  the  Mayor  of  the  town 
are  two,  and  they  are  all  heartily  tired  of  always  seeing 
the  same  faces.  These  dinners,  however,  last  a  very  short 
time ;  the  carriages  are  kept  waiting,  and  then  they  all 
go  to  the  theatre,  except  our  good  Lord  Cornwallis,  who 
sits  on  quietly  drinking  a  glass  of  wine  with  anybody 
who  will  sit  with  him.* 

Saturday,  13^. — Left  Amiens.  In  the  very  open 
country  I  observed  some  women  for  the  first  time  working 
in  the  fields.  Beyond  St.  Just,  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
the  road  so  bad  that  I  think  in  wet  weather  a  heavy 
English  berlin  would  not  have  been  able  to  pass,  but 
everywhere  a  quantity  of  materials  are  to  be  seen  ready 
collected  for  repairs.  At  Breteuil  a  large  new  chateau 
more  than  half  demolished.  At  Clermont  is  a  large  park 
of  the  Due  de  Fitz- James,  f  The  house  is  entirely 

*  This  account  is  fully  confirmed  by  the  following  extracts  from  a  letter 
of  Lt.-Col.  Nightingall :  —  '  Nobody  need  envy  us ;  the  only  thing  like 
comfort  is  on  those  days  when  we  dine  quietly  at  home  by  ourselves,  and  as 

for  amusements,  there  are  none  of  any  kind We  meet  every  day  the 

same  people,  and  always  the  same  formal  parties  at  dinner.  The  company 
consists  of  Joseph  Buonaparte,  who  is  rather  the  best  among  them,  though 
he  has  not  at  all  the  manners  of  a  gentleman  ;  he  means,  however,  to  do  well 
and  to  be  civil.  His  wife  (Maria  Julia  Clary,  m.  1794)  is  a  veiy  short,  very 
thin,  very  ugly,  and  very  vulgar  little  woman,  without  anything  to  say  for 
herself.  The  Dutch  Ambassador  is,  I  think,  above  par,  and  his  wife,  who 
has  been  pretty,  has  more  the  manners  of  a  gentlewoman  than  any  one  here. 
The  next  in  the  list  is  the  Prefect  (Nicholas  Marie  Quinette,  afterwards 
Baron  de  Rochemont).  He  is  a  very  ill-looking  scoundrel,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  National  Convention  .  .  .  This  man  is  not  likely  to  become  a 
bosom  friend  of  ours.  .  .  .  The  next  are  the  Mayor  and  his  wife.  .  .  .  We 
have  generally  one  or  two  great  dinners  a  week — dine  once  at  Joseph's  and 
once  at  Schimmelpennick's,  and  sometimes  with  the  Mayor  or  Prefect.  As 
there  is  no  variety  whatever,  you  are  now  in  possession  of  our  style  of  living 
at  Amiens.  ...  I  forgot  to  mention  that  when  we  dine  out  we  get  nothing 
fit  to  eat  or  drink,  which  does  not  add  much  to  the  pleasure  or  satisfaction 
of  the  party.' — Correspondence  of  Lord  Cormvallis,  vol.  iii.  p.  436. 

+  The  park  and  chateau,  formerly  the  property  of  the  Duke  de  Fitzjames, 
are  passed  on  the  right  (from  St.  Just)  shortly  before  reaching  Clermont 


1802]  FKOM    CHANTILLY   TO    PAKIS.  131 

pulled  down,  and  there  are  breaches  in  the  park  wall 
every  here  and  there,  but  the  trees  are  untouched  and 
nourishing.  The  country  about  Clermont  and  Lingue- 
ville,  and  between  it  and  Chantilly,  very  pretty. 

Sunday,  14^. — Not  a  single  tree  cut  down  in  the  road 
between  Chantilly  and  Paris.  The  chateau  at  Chantilly 
totally  demolished  ;  the  stables  remained,  and  have  been 
used  as  dragoon  barracks.  The  town. through  which  we 
passed  (for  the  inn,  a  new  one,  is  beyond  the  town) 
looked,  I  thought,  much  worse  than  formerly.  At  a 
village  between  Lusarche  and  Ecouen,  where  there  is  a 
large  stone  church  undefaced,  many  people  were  going 
to  church.  At  another  village,  upon  another  undefaced 
church  the  words  Temple  de  la  Raison  were  painted  over. 
Most  of  the  churches  between  Chantilly  and  Paris  are 
less  injured  than  any  that  we  have  yet  seen.  I  wish  I 
could  say  as  much  of  the  venerable  and  beautiful  church 
of  St.  Denis,  now  christened  la  Franqiade,  but  univer- 
sally called  St.  Denis.  Its  roof  is  more  than  half  off, 
that  is  to  say,  nothing  but  the  broken  charpente  left,  which 
has  the  most  melancholy  appearance  possible,  and  one  of 
its  spires  is  quite  destroyed,  down  to  the  tower,  from 
which  it  rose.  The  corresponding  spire  seems  to  have 
been  spared,  and  the  portail  and  the  beautiful  Gothic 
tracery  of  the  east  window  appeared  to  me,  as  I  saw  it 
(en  passant],  not  much  injured.  The  entrance  to  Paris 
this  way  was  never  striking,  and  we  had  got  into  the 
Chaussee  d'Autin,  now  called  the  Eue  du  Mont  Blanc, 
and  stopped  at  Perregaux's*  door,  before  I  knew  where 
we  were.  The  Boulevard  struck  me,  as  it  always  did, 
with  its  appearance  of  gaiety,  though  I  think  the  large 

sur  Oise. — Murray's  Handbook,  1834.     The  present  owner  is  M.  de  Beau- 
mesril.    1860. 

*  Jean  Frederic  Perre'gaux,  Senator  and  President  of  the  Bank  at  Paris, 
was  born  at  Neufchatel,  in  Switzerland.  He  established  one  of  the  first 
banking  houses  in  Paris,  and  was  much  favoured  by  Xapoleon. — Diet,  des 
Contemporains. 

K  2 


132  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

houses  looked  less  well  painted  and  less  well  kept  up 
than  they  used  to  be.     From  Perregaux's  door  we  drove 
to  the  Hotel  de  1'Empire,  Eue  Cerutti,  a  street  above  the 
Boulevard  where  we  had  taken  an  apartment.    The  salon 
was  adorned  with  great  glasses  and  expensive  pieces  of 
furniture,  but  was  by  no  means  as  comfortable  as  any 
apartments  I  ever  occupied  before  in  Paris,  and  is  at  the 
enormous  price  of  eighteen  louis  for  fifteen  days,  or  thirty 
for  a  month.     After  a  little  consideration,  a  little  mur- 
muring, and  a  good  deal  of  regret  at  losing  time  in  getting 
settled,  we  sent  the  maid  and  the  courier  in  search  of 
another  in  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain,  the   quarter  of 
Paris  to  which  we  were  both  most  accustomed.     After  a 
tedious  absence  they  returned,  having  been  in  more  than 
half-a-dozen  hotels  which  were  all  full,  but  saying  that 
we  might  have  the  first  floor  of  the  Hotel  d'Orleans,  Eue 
des  Petits  Augustins,  for  the  next  day,  at  the  rate  of  five 
louis  a  week.      The  hotels  in  the  F.  St.  Germain  are  no 
longer  the  fashion,   as  they  used  to  be.      The  brilliant 
quartier  is  the  one  we  left,  and  is  -so  far  convenient  that  it 
is  now  near  all  the  theatres,  and  in  the  Hotel  de  1'Empire 
there  are  certainly  most  elegant  apartments,  arid  indeed 
they  ought  to  be  so,  for  Mr.  Caulfield,  a  young  Irishman, 
was  occupying  one  for  which  he  paid  ninety   louis   a 
month.     The  rest  of  the  house  was  full  of  English.     "We 
hoped,  in  spite  of  our  .unsettled  state  all  the  morning,  that 
in  the  evening  at  least  we  should  be  able  to  go  to  some 
one  of  the  theatres  in  some  loge  grillee  of  Perregaux's,  as 
in  former  days.     Mais,  point  du  tout,  Perregaux  never 
came  ;  and  we  spent  the  evening  in  posting  our  journals, 
not  without  often  complaining,  with  Titus,  diem  perdidi. 

Monday,  15.2A. — Left  the  Hotel  de  1'Empire  in  a  fiacre, 
of  which,  by-the-bye,  there  are  more  than  ever  at  Paris, 
and  certainly  better  than  they  used  to  be,  though  by  no 
means  *  good  carriages,,'  as  in  England  we  heard  they  were. 
There  are  as  many  chariot-fiacres  as  coaches,  and,  in 


1802]  THE   LOUVRE. 

addition  to  these,  there  are  long  stands  of  cabriolets  to 
hire  in  the  same  way,  in  almost  every  quartier  of  Paris, 
and  both  the  horses,  the  harness,  and  the  carriages  are 
much  neater  and  better-looking  than  one  could  possibly 
expect.  They  have  all  a  number  painted  upon  them,  as 
the  hackney  coaches,  and  are  obliged  at  night  to  have 
lamps  lighted  and  at  all  times  a  grelot  under  the  horse's 
neck  or  somewhere  about  the  harness.  So  have  all  the 
cabriolets  belonging  to  individuals,  and  all  are  under  the 
same  obligations  with  respect  to  lanterns  and  grelots.  In 
our  chariot-fiacre  (chariots  seem  to  be  considered  as  the 
genteeler  of  the  two)  we  arrived  at  our  Hotel  d'Orleans, 
where  I  found  not  one  pin  had  been  altered  since  I  knew 
it  sixteen  years  ago  ;  consequently,  it  was  not  a  little  dirty 
as  to  hangings,  painting,  and  furniture. 

Eeceived  a  visit  from  Barrois,  the  son  of  a  great  book- 
seller here,  whom  we  knew  formerly  with  Edwards*  in 
London,  and  whom  Edwards  had  desired  to  come  to  us 
as  soon  as  we  arrived.  From  him,  a  very  sensible,  unpre- 
judiced young  man,  we  learnt  a  number  of  things  by  no 
means  favourable  to  the  present  state  of  affairs  in  this 
country,  and  from  him  and  his  sentiments  could  pretty 
well  guess  at  the  opinions,  the  fears,  the  prejudices,  and 
the  prospects  of  the  far  greater  part  of  the  better  order 
of  people,  if  not  in  France,  at  least  in  Paris. 

At  one  o'clock  went  to  the  Gallery  of  the  Louvre. 
To  strangers  it  is  open  every  day  (except  the  Decades) 
from  ten  till  four,  by  merely  showing  their  passports 
at  the  door.  To  give  any  idea  of  this  gallery  is  quite 
impossible.  You  ascend  to  it  (at  present)  by  a  com- 
modious plain  staircase,  and  first  enter  a  large  square 
room  about  twice  the  size  of  the  exhibition  room  in 
Somerset  House,  lined  with  all  the  finest  Italian  pictures, 
very  well  placed  as  to  light.  Out  of  this  room  you  enter 

*  A  well-known  bookseller  in  London  :  shop  in  Pall  Mall. 


134  MISS    BEKRY'S   JOURNAL.  [l802 

a  gallery — such  a  gallery !  But  such  a  gallery ! ! !  as  the 
world  never  before  saw,  both  as  to  size  and  furniture  ! 
So  long  that  the  perspective  ends  almost  in  a  point,  and 
so  furnished  that  at  every  step,  tho'  one  feels  one  must  go 
on,  yet  one's  attention  is  arrested  by  all  the  finest  pictures 
that  one  has  seen  before  in  every  other  country,  besides 
a  thousand  new  ones.  The  small  pictures,  and  all  those 
taken  from  palaces,  are  in  their  own  handsome  gilt  frames, 
but  the  large  ones  and  those  taken  out  of  churches  are, 
for  the  present  at  least,  only  in  flat  frames  of  yellow  wood. 
The  first  half  of  this  gallery  contains  the  Flemish,  Dutch, 
and  French  schools ;  about  the  middle  there  is  a  recess  on 
each  side,  from  whence  commences  the  Italian  schools. 
All  I  can  say,  and,  indeed,  all  I  could  see,  of  the  pictures 
was,  that  each  of  these  general  divisions  contained  all  the 
noted  and  exquisite  pictures  that  one  had  formerly  ad- 
mired in  their  separate  countries.  They  appeared  in  very 
good  order,  and  not  as  if  they  had  been  varnished  or 
worked  upon.*  The  light,  too,  is  by  no  means  bad,  and 
if  they  had  blinds  to  the  windows,  as  is  intended,  would 
be  as  good  as  could  be  expected  for  such  a  multitude  of 
pictures.  In  the  same  immense  gallery,  on  the  ground 
floor,  are  the  statues,  but  here  the  space  is  divided  into 
several  different  rooms  (called  by  the  different  names  of 
salle  d'Apollon,  salle  des  Muses,  &c.  &c.)  or  rather  divi- 
sions made  by  columns,  all  open  one  to  another.  The 
walls  are  stucco,  painted  to  look  as  if  incrusted  with  red 
and  green  granite,  in  a  fine,  simple  style,  worthy  of  Italy, 
and  at  the  same  time  very  advantageous  to  the  statues, 
which  are  all  a  thousand  times  better  placed  than  ever 
they  were  in  Italy,  not  excepting  the  Apollo,  which  stands 
in  a  niche  at  the  end  of  the  rooms,  and  admirably 

*  Upon  further  examination,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  we  found  this  not  to  be 
the  case  with  the  Italian  pictures  of  the  old  schools,  which  their  reparations 
are  destroying.  I  mean  destroying  the  identity  of  the  picture  and  the  touch 
of  the  master. — M.  2?. 


1802]  VISIT   THE   THEATRE.  135 

lighted.  Of  the  statues,  their  numbers,  their  beauty,  the 
feelings  they  excited  as  old  acquaintance,  &c.  &c.,  like 
the  pictures,  I  shall  say  nothing.  In  the  gallery  we  met 
Mrs.  Cosway,*  who  is  etching  a  general  view  of  it,  with 
a  little  sketch  of  each  of  the  pictures.  She  introduced 
us  to  a  secretary  or  keeper,  M.  de  la  Vallee,  a  modest  quiet 
man  who  seemed  really  to  have  taste,  and  showed  us 
many  things. 

In  the  evening  we  had  intended  going  to  the  Theatre 
Fran9ois,  now  called  the  Theatre  de  la  Kepublique,  but 
rinding  no  places  either  in  the  first  or  second  row,  we 
enquired  of  our  valet  de  place  (who  in  Paris  are  sort  of 
cicerones,  and  used  to  be  extremely  clever  in  their  office) 
in  what  other  good  theatre  we  were  likely  to  get  in.  He 
carried  us  to  the  Theatre  de  Vaudeville  close  by.  We 
were  shown  into  a  box  au  premier  rang,  where  only  one 
man  of  very  ordinary  appearance  was  sitting  in  the  front 
row.  We  supposed  he  would  offer  us  his  place,  mais 
point  de  tout,  he  did  not  even  look  towards  us  ;  he  never 
even  made  the  least  movement  by  way  of  inviting  us  to 
sit  beside  him.  This  is  indeed  a  revolution  in  France, 
and  such  a  one  as  I  could  not  have  believed  if  I  had  not 
seen  it !  We  found  ourselves  in  a  good-sized  theatre, 
rather  dirty  but  prettily  ornamented,  and  filled  by 
people  whose  appearance  certainly  promised  veiy  little  ; 
but  it  is  now  quite  as  impossible  to  judge  from  appear- 

*  Maria  Cosway,  daughter  of  an  innkeeper  of  the  name  of  Hadfield,  at 
Leghorn,  wife  of  the  English  artist  of  that  name,  and  artist  herself.  After 
her  husband's  death  she  went  to  Paris  with  the  object  of  drawing  the  Gallery 
of  the  Louvre,  and  accompanying  each  separate  drawing  with  a  history  of  the 
picture  and  its  painter.  This  intention  was  not  fulfilled  ;  but  she  remained 
at  Paris,  and  became  the  devoted  admirer  of  David  the  artist.  After  some 
years'  residence  in  Paris,  tired  of  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  she  retired  to  a 
convent  near  Lyons,  of  which  she  became  the  Superior. — Diet,  des  Contem- 
porains.  Mrs.  Cosway  was  no  new  acquaintance  of  Miss  Berry's.  As  early 
as  a  letter  dated  June  8, 1791,  Horace  Walpole  says,  '  I  am  glad  Mrs.  Cosway 
is  with  you.  She  is  pleasing ;  but  surely  it  is  odd  to  drop  a  child  and  her 
husband  and  country  all  in  a  breath.' 


136  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

ances  in  France  as  it  was  formerly,  though  from  directly 
opposite  reasons.  We  sat  for  a  time  behind  our  man, 
who,  to  complete  the  business,  chewed  tobacco,  and  at 
every  instant  spat  into  the  empty  place  beside  him  !  In 
time  we  obtained  from  the  ouvreuse  a  stage-box,  and 
were  thus  relieved  from  the  neighbourhood  of  the  spit- 
ting man,  which  had  really  made  us  sick.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  men  in  this  theatre  was  still  worse  than  that 
of  the  women — I  mean  more  dirty  and  slovenly.  More 
of  them  were  powdered  than  would  have  been  in  England, 
but  in  great-coats,  boots,  and  had  in  every  way  a  neglected 
appearance.  The  women  were  none  of  them  indecently 
dressed,  but  few  smart,  and  all  unbecoming.  The  sortie 
of  this  little  theatre  is  convenient,  under  cover,  and  one 
carriage  only,  being  able  to  come  up  at  a  time. 

Tuesday,  16th. — Went  to  deliver  some  letters  of  in- 
troduction to  Madame  Chabot  de  Castillane,  to  Madame  de 
Beauvau,  and  Madame  de  Mortemart,  to  Madame  Louise 
de  Talleyrand  Perigord,  to  Madame  d'Audenarde,  &c.  It 
used  to  be  a  necessary  etiquette  at  Paris  to  deliver  your 
letters  yourself,  and  even  ask  to  be  admitted  before  the 
people  knew  you,  and  when  they  were  to  read  the 
letter  in  your  presence,  that  was  to  tell  them  who  you 
were.  But  now  sending  them  by  a  servant  with  a 
ticket  would,  I  believe,  do  quite  as  well.  Went  to 
Madame  le  Eoi,  at  present  the  Mademoiselle  Bertin  of 
Paris.*  She  is  lodged  in  a  ground-floor  of  a  magni- 
ficent hotel  in  the  Eue  de  Eichelieu,  now  the  Rue  de 
la  Loi.  She  was  very  civil,  and  not  at  all  pert ;  but 
if  she  had  anything  pretty,  treated  us  en  dames  etran- 
geres,  and  showed  us  nothing  that  I  should  have  liked 

*  The  well-known  Mdlle.  Rose  Bertin  was"  dressmaker  to  Marie  An- 
toinette. During  the  Reign  of  Terror  she  was  visited  by  commissaries  of 
the  Government,  desiring  to  know  the  amount  and  details  of  the  queen's  debts 
to  her ;  but  apprised  of  their  intended  visit,  she  destroyed  her  accounts, 
and  declared  with  unshaken  firmness  that  the  queen  owed  her  nothing. 
Mdlle.  Bertin  died  in  1813. — Diet,  des  Cvntemporains. 


1802]  FRENCH   OPERA   AND   BALLET.  137 

to  have  worn,  not  on  account  of  its  singularity  or  youth- 
fulness,  but  of  its  common  vulgar  look.  Mrs.  Darner 
ordered  a  bonnet  (at  the  price  of  two  louis)  to  be  made 
on  the  model  of  one  entirely  of  lace,  which  was  to  cost 
seventy-two  louis.  The  furniture  of  Madame  le  Eoi's  apart- 
ment was  elegant  in  the  extreme,  purple  lustring,  festooned 
a  I' antique  with  a  deep  orange  fringe.  The  chairs,  &c.  &c., 
mahogany,  with  the  same  furniture.  Mahogany  furniture 
is,  I  find,  become  very  general  at  Paris.  In  the  evening 
went  to  the  Opera;  in  a  box  au  premier,  containing  six 
places,  for  which  we  paid  the  enormous  price  of  57  livres. 
But  the  crowd  is  always  great  there,  and  on  the  beaux 
jours,  of  which  this  was  one,  no  possibility  of  securing 
places  in  any  other  manner. 

This  theatre,  built  in  the  Eue  Eichelieu,  is  new  and 
handsome.  It  has  three  rows  of  boxes,  and  some  near 
the  stage,  for  the  people  of  the  theatre.  The  ornaments 
are  all  in  pale  browns,  and  bronze,  and  gold,  not  very  gay. 
The  lustre  or  circle  of  Argand  lamps  by  which  it  is 
lighted,  in  perfect  taste.  The  pieces  given  were  '  Ana- 
cre'on'  with  a  long  dance  introduced ;  and,  at  the  end, 
'  Telemaque.'  Lays,*  the  first  man  of  the  opera,  who  was 
Ariacreon,  has  a  very  fine  voice,  and  the  music  very 
pretty,  and  they  were  all  perfectly  well  dressed  a  lf  antique. 
The  head  of  Anacreon  was  perfect :  but  a  French  opera 
is  always  a  dull  thing.  The  dancing  is  certainly  more 
marvellous  than  ever.  I  do  not  think  it  more  pleasing. 
In  the  first  ballet  there  was  only  one  entree  of  men,  three 
together,  all  the  rest  were  women,  of  whom  six  were 
capital  dancers ;  but  the  women  now  dance  in  the  style 
of  men,  that  is  to  say,  with  all  the  difficult  steps  and 
tours  de  force  possible.  A  long  pas  de  deux  was  per- 
formed with  such  a  perfect  ensemble  and  precision,  that 

*  Francis  Lays,  born  1757,  was  originally  destined  for  the  Church ;  but 
in  1779  he  appeared  on  the  stage,  and  continued  a  favourite  with  the  public 
till  his  retirement  in  1822. — Diet,  des  Contemporains. 


138  MISS  BEREY'S  JOUKNAL.  [1502 

one  was  obliged  to  rub  one's  eyes  to  feel  sure  it  was  not 
two  machines  moved  by  the  same  strings.  '  Telemaque  ' 
was  not  half  so  well  given  as  by  D'Esrville  in  London. 

»/ 

Vestris  *  was  Telemaque — that  style  of  dancing  never 
was  what  suited  him  best — he  is  still  marvellous  and 
has  movements  that  nobody  else  ever  had,  but  he  is 
grown  so  much  thicker  that  his  figure  looks  ecrase  and 
his  head  too  large  ;  his  wig  was  bushy  light  hair,  curled 
all  over.  Mdlle.  Clotilde  was  Calypso,  f  and  at  first 
I  did  not  much  admire  her  figure,  which  is  remark- 
ably tall,  but  when  she  came  in  dressed  for  hunting,  she 
was  the  exact  copy  of  the  statue  called  the  Diana  Cacia- 
trice,  the  drapery  of  which  is  open  just  above  the  knee, 
and  in  my  life  I  never  saw  such  perfect  legs,  nor  legs  so 
perfectly  resembling  those  of  the  Apollo,  into  the  atti- 
tudes of  which  they  fell  a  thousand  times.  All  the  other 
women  dancers  were  dressed  in  one  petticoat  of  white 
muslin,  or  something  as  thin,  with  another  drapery  of  the 
same  stuff  arranged  in  various  ways  about  half  as  long  as 
the  first,  but  both  allowing  the  whole  form  to  be  fairly 
perceived  up  to  the  waist,  covered  with  flesh-coloured 
tricot.  Some  of  them  had  no  covering  above  the  waist 
but  flesh-coloured  tricot,  with  some  little  strap  on  one 
shoulder.  The  company  at  the  Opera,  though  everybody  was 
there,  did  not  appear  brilliant;  the  women  all  wrapped 
up  in  their  frightful  shawls,  with  heads  by  no  means 
looking  dressed,  and  the  men,  even  at  this  most  favourite 
spectacle,  have  a  neglected,  dirty  appearance.  Indeed,  it 
is  at  the  sortie  of  the  theatre  that  one  of  the  wonderful 
changes  that  have  taken  place  in  Paris  is  very  decidedly 

*  Auguste  Vestris,  son  of  the  celebrated  dancer  known  by  the  name  of 
Dieu  de  la  Danse,  and  who  retired  from  the  stage  in  1781.  Auguste  Vestris, 
like  his  father,  was  considered  the  best  dancer  of  his  time. 

f  Clotilde  Augustine  Malflattrai,  born  in  1776.  She  was  pupil  of  the 
elder  Vestris,  and  appeared  first  in  1793.  In  1802  she  married  Boildieu, 
the  composer,  but  her  misconduct  was  such  that  in  1808  they  were  finally 
separated.  She  quitted  the  stage  1819,  and  died  1826. 


1802]  APPEARANCE    OF   PARISIAN   SOCIETY.  139 

visible.  That  of  the  Opera,  where  one  used  to  see  bril- 
liant groups  of  all  the  young  people  of  fashion,  and  all 
the  fashionable  filles  who  rivalled  and  surpassed  them  in 
appearance,  is  now  the  strangest  collection  of  odd,  black- 
guard-looking people  that  can  be  conceived.  We  stood 
for  some  time  waiting  for  our  carriage,  and  had  leisure  to 
remark  them.  I  did  riot  see  one  woman  who  had  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  gentlewoman,  though  there  was  one  stand- 
ing next  me  for  some  time  who  had  a  lace  veil  over  her 
hat  which  could  not  have  cost  less  than  sixty  or  eighty 
guineas,  and  a  large  real  shawl  nearly  as  costly.  The 
order  in  going  away  is  still  very  good  in  these  great 
theatres  ;  if  one  stays  to  the  last,  one  is  obliged  to  wait 
some  time  for  the  carriage,  but  it  is  sure  to  come  up  and 
get  away  without  interruption  or  accident. 

Thursday,  18th. — Went  with  Barrois  to  the  Prefecture 
de  la  police  generate.  The  passport  given  at  Calais  (or 
anywhere  else  on  entering  France)  obliges  you  to  show 
yourself  at  this  office  as  soon  as  possible,  after  your 
arrival ;  so  people  go  within  three  or  four  days,  as  it 
suits  them,  and  say  they  arrived  the  day  before.  The 
two  men-servants  went  with  us,  as  they  are  much  more 
difficult  about  men  than  about  women.  We  passed  up  a 
very  dirty  back  stair  into  a  large  room  full  of  as  dirty- 
looking  clerks,  into  another  partition  of  a  large  room, 
where  two  or  three  other  people  were  waiting  for  the 
same  business  .as  ourselves.  The  man  to  whom  we  spoke 
was  very  civil,  and  after  detaining  us  about  a  quarter  of 
an  hour,  copying  our  names  into  half-a-dozen  books, 
allowed  us  to  depart ;  but  the  servants  were  detained 
nearly  an  hour  before  they  made  out  the  paper  which  is 
given  in  lieu  of  the  passport  whilst  staying  in  Paris.  In 
this  office  (where,  if  they  do  the  business  they  are 
appointed  to  do,  it  must  be  immense),  all  the  papers  are 
kept  in  bandboxes  on  shelves  round  the  rooms.  One 
might  have  fancied  oneself  at  a  milliner's  instead  of  an 
office  of  police. 


140  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

In  the  evening  to  the  Theatre  de  la  Kepublique,  for- 
merly called  Fran9ais.  This,  too,  is  a  new  salle  :  the 
beautiful  one  in  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain  was  burnt 
down,  and  another  was  built  before  this,  which  did  not 
please.  This  has  no  right  to  better  success,  for  it  is 
both  ugly  and  inconvenient.  They  have  had  the  rage 
of  making  everything  a  I' antique  lately,  and  this  house  is 
quite  spoilt  by  too  many  columns  and  too  small  apertures 
for  boxes.  There  is  an  amphitheatre,  called  la  galerie, 
of  two  rows,  entirely  round  the  house,  in  which,,  when 
people  stand,  they  prevent  those  in  the  side  boxes  from 
seeing,  and  when  they  speak,  from  hearing.  The  piece, 
'Bazazet,'  *  acted  by  the  four  actors  of  the  theatre.  Mdlle. 
Eaucourt,f  now  a  great  fat  red-faced  woman,  acted  Eoxane 
in  the  worst  taste  possible — violent  inflexions  of  voice, 
and  sometimes  speaking  three  or  four  lines  together 
entirely  in  a  whisper,  which  was  meant  to  have  great 
effect,  but  which  in  fact  only  prevented  her  being  heard. 
Mdlle.  Vanhove,J  in  Athalie,  much  better  :  her  figure  is 
not  dignified  for  tragedy,  but  her  acting  natural  and  im- 
passioned. The  Vizir  Acomat  well  acted  by  Dupres— a 
fine  figure,  clear  enunciation,  and  much  spirit  without 
rant.  The  dresses  handsome,  and  scrupulously  exact  in 
costume.  It  was  followed  by  '  Defiance  et  Malice,'  acted 
by  Saint  Val  §  and  Mdlle.  Mezeray.||  She  copied  Mdlle. 

*  Racine. 

t  FratNjodse  Marie  Antoinette  Sancerotte  Raucourt,  born  1756.  She 
made  her  debut  at  Paris  1772,  and  was  enthusiastically  received.  In  1776 
she  lost  favour  with  the  public,  and  travelled  abroad.  In  1779  she  returned 
to  Paris,  and  recovered  her  former  popularity.  In  1793  she  was,  during  six 
months,  a  prisoner  in  the  Temple ;  and  afterwards,  with  other  actors,  re- 
opened a  second  Theatre  Franqais,  and  fortunately  obtained  the  protection 
of  Bonaparte  in  1799.  In  1806  she  opened  a  theatre  at  Milan.  Died  1815. 
— Eiog.  Univ. 

\  Afterwards  married  to  Talma.     Retired  from  the  stage  1810. 

§  Saint  Val  first  appeared  with  great  success  in  comedy.  In  1793  he 
was  imprisoned  with  the  other  actors  till  1794.  He  was  afterwards  much 
admired  as  a  tragic  actor.  Retired  from  the  stage  1818  :  died  1835. 

||  Josephine  Me"zeray,  born  1772 ;  appeared  at  the  Theatre  Francais  1791. 
Her  personal  attractions  and  admirable  acting  in  the  parts  of  coquettes, 


18C2]  PARISIAN   SHOPS.  141 

Contat,  but  hand  passibus  equis.  He  is  a  stumpy  ignoble 
figure  in  comedy.  Had  I  never  seen  the  piece  admirably 
acted  in  society  in  England,  I  don't  know  that  I  should 
ever  have  been  as  much  pleased  with  it  as  I  was. 

Friday,  Wth. — In  the  morning  at  shops.  Vache,  a 
great  silk  mercer,  is  lodged  in  a  vast  hotel,  Eue  Vivienne, 
under  the  same  roof  with  Lignereuse,  the  successor  of 
d'Aquerre,  and  likewise  with  a  considerable  depot  of 
Sevres  china.  These  sort  of  shops  being  in  great  hotels 
is  quite  a  new  thing  at  Paris.  Vache's  magazin  is  in  a 
very  large  apartment,  and  consists  of  everything  that  has 
to  do  with  silk  mercery,  trimmings,  &c.  &c. ;  it  is  reckoned 
the  first  magazin  in  Paris.  Lignereuse's  disappointed  me. 
There  were  fewer  things  than  I  expected ;  all  in  the  most 
expensive,  and  very  few,  if  any,  in  real  good  taste.  Of 
mahogany  and  ormolu  mixed  together  almost  everything 
is  now  composed ;  and  the  ornaments  of  the  candelabra, 
the  pendules,  &c.,  in  a  minute  frittered  style.  The  new 
Sevres  china,  too,  is  not  in  pretty  taste  :  tortoise-shell, 
steel,  and  all  sort  of  odd  dark  colours  form  the  ground  of 
the  cups,  with  gold  borders  upon  them. 

Dined  at  Madame  Chabot  de  Castellane,  to  whom  Madame 
de  Staremberg  had  given  us  a  letter.  We  were  appointed 
at  half-past  five.  A  prettyish  house  in  a  garden,  Eue 
Pluniet,  Faubourg  St.  Germain.  The  lady  herself  looking 
cross,  but  civil  and  sensible.  Company  consisted  of  nine 
persons,  of  whom  ourselves  and  the  master  and  mistress 
of  the  house  and  the  instituteur  of  their  children  (who 
dined  at  a  side  table)  made  five ;  the  others  were  Madame 

secured  her  success.  In  1794  she  was  imprisoned  ;  on  her  release  she  joined 
Mdlle.  Raucourt.  The  theatre  was  closed  at  the  revolution  of  the  18th 
Fructidor,  on  the  ground  of  being  a  reunion  of  royalists.  She  reappeared  at 
the  Theatre  Franqais,  but  a  professional  jealousy  disturbed  her  mind,  and 
she  was  found  one  night  in  a  ditch  full  of  water  behind  the  Invalides. 
The  piteous  cries  of  her  little  dog  attracted  attention  to  the  spot,  and  she 
was  rescued,  but  died  a  few  days  later  in  a  state  of  raving  insanity,  June 
1823.— Biog.  Univ. 


142  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [1802 

de  Stael,  Mat.  de  Montmorency,  M.  de  Crillon  (a  very 
gentlemanlike  Frenchman  of  the  best  sort  of  middle-aged 
man).  The  dinner  all  served  at  once,  except  a  remove  of 
fish  and  four  plates  of  vegetables,  which  made  more  meat 
on  the  table  than  ever  I  saw  before  in  a  French  house. 
The  dinner  lasted  a  still  shorter  time  than  formerly. 

Saturday r,  2Qth. — Went  to  the  Paper  Magazin  on  the 
Boulevard — formerly  Arthur's,  now  Eobert's  Papers.  All 
flock,  of  one  colour,  to  look  like  casemir,  with  flock 
borders  ;  very  good  effect.  But  here  again  the  taste  less 
good  than  I  expected. 

In  the  evening  went  with  Mr.  Jackson  to  make  visits 
to  some  of  the  Ministers'  wives — to  Madame  Lu9ay,  the 
wife  of  the  Prefet  du  Palais,  and  Madame  Fouche,  of  the 
Minister  of  Justice.  We  sat  out  on  this  business  a 
little  before  ten.  Got  to  Berthier's,*  the  War  Minister, 
who  received  on  this  day.  He  is  lodged  in  a  great 
hotel,  called  the  Hotel  de  la  Genevre ;  the  staircase 
dirty,  and  no  appearance  of  servants  or  attendants.  (At 
all  the  Ministers'  houses  there  are  sentinels,  not  only  at 
the  door  but  in  the  antechamber.)  The  apartment  very 
handsome.  In  the  second  room  were  a  number  of  men 
only ;  in  the  third,  where  Berthier  received  (for  he  has 
no  wife),  about  a  dozen  women,  and  a  great  many  men 

*  Louis  Alexandra  Berthier,  born  1755;  brought  up  as  a  soldier,  he 
remained  faithful  for  a  time  to  the  Bourbons,  and  assisted  the  escape  of  the 
aunts  of  Louis  XVI.  Under  the  republic  he  was  made  chef  d'etat-major  to 
the  army  in  Italy.  In  1798  he  commanded  at  Eome,  when  the  Pope  was 
deposed.  It  is  said  he  unwillingly  accompanied  Buonaparte  to  Egypt,  having 
fixed  his  affection  on  an  Italian  lady.  On  the  downfall  of  the  Directory, 
1799,  he  became  Minister  of  War.  In  1806  created  Prince  de  Neufchatel ; 
and  married  Princess  Elizabeth  Marie  of  Bavaria-Birkenfeld.  After  the 
campaign  against  Austria  he  was  created  Prince  of  Wagram.  He  accom- 
panied Napoleon  to  Russia.  In  1814,  he  returned  to  his  old  allegiance,  and  in 
1815  accompanied  Louis  XVIII.  to  Ghent.  Wishing  to  remain  neutral,  he 
retired  to  Bamberg.  Here  he  was  murdered  by  six  men  in  masks,  supposed 
to  be  emissaries  of  some  secret  societies,  who,  suddenly  entering  his  room, 
thrust  him  out  of  window  into  the  street,  from  whence  he  was  taken  up 
dying. 


1802]  BERTHIER. — CAMBACERES. — MACDOXALD.  143 

in  uniforms  of  some  sort,  either  military  or  of  the  con- 
stituted authorities.  Berthier  received  us  very  civilly. 
He  is  a  little  rather  ill-looking  man,  with  a  crop  curled 
head  of  dark  hair ;  his  dress  the  uniform  of  a  Minister 
d'Etat — blue  cloth,  with  a  broad  silver  embroidery.  But 
a  greater  revolution  seems  to  me  to  have  taken  place  in 
the  race  of  tailors  than  in  that  of  any  other  set  of  men. 
Nobody's  coat  is  now  well  made,  and  more  especially  the 
uniforms  of  the  constituted  authorities — they  all  look  too 
long  and  too  big  ;  in  short,  like  coats  made  by  a  village 
tailor.  Cambaceres,*  the  Second  Consul,  was  among  the 
company :  he  came  late,  and  was  received  without  any 
sort  of  distinction.  He  is  an  uncommonly  ill-looking, 
shortish,  thick  man,  with  his  eyes  sunk  in  his  head  ;  his 
hair  badly  dressed  ;  his  dress  the  undress  uniform  of 
the  Consuls — blue  velvet,  with  a  broad  gold  embroidery, 
fustian  breeches,  and  common  turn-down  boots.  General 
Macdonaldf  (he  that  commanded  in  Italy),  neatly  dressed 
in  uniform,  like  a  soldier,  and  with  a  very  intelligent 
though  not  a  noble  countenance ;  the  hereditary  Prince 
of  Orange,  in  his  uniform  ;  the  President  of  the  Tribunat, 
in  his  uniform — blue  cloth,  embroidered  with  gold,  panta- 
loons, and  hussar  boots  bound  with  gold  tassels.  We 


*  Jean  Jacques  Regis  de  Cambaceres,  born  at  Montpelier  Oct.  1783  ;  died 
at  Paris  June  1824.  He  served  as  a  deputy  in  the  Convention  1792  ;  be- 
came President  of  the  Assembly,  and  afterwards  President  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Public  Safety.  He  lost  the  confidence  of  the  Directory,  having 
refused  to  vote  '  La  Mort  du  Tyran.'  He  was  chosen  by  Buonaparte  as 
Second  Consul.  When  Buonaparte  became  Emperor,  Cambaceres  was  ap- 
pointed '  Archi-Chancelier,'  in  which  office  he  remained  till  the  fall  of 
Napoleon. 

f  Stephen  James  Joseph  Macdonald,  Mare"chal  of  France,  Duke  of  Ta- 
rentum,  born  at  Sedan  in  1765,  of  a  Scotch  family  long  settled  in  France. 
He  distinguished  himself  at  Jemappes,  and,  in  1795,  at  Menin  Commines 
and  Courtrai,  he  passed  the  Wahl'  on  the  ice,  and  captured  the  Dutch  fleet. 
At  Wagram,  created  Marshal  on  the  field  of  battle,  he  bore  his  part  in  the 
Russian  campaign,  and  fought  at  the  battle  of  Leipsic,  1813.  He  attended 
Napoleon  at  Fontainebleau,  and  urged  his  abdication.  He  afterwards  ad- 
hered to  the  Bourbons.  He  died  in  1831. 


144  .   MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1502 

found  ourselves  almost  immediately  surrounded  by  a 
number  of  acquaintance  whom  we  had  met  elsewhere  — 
the  old  original  Princess  Sta.Croce,  looking  quite  as  young 
and  well  as  ever  she  did  in  Italy,  and  quite  as  uncovered 
as  anybody  in  France ;  Madame  Doria  from  Genoa,  &G. 
&c.  We  were  presented  to  a  number  of  French  women  — 
Mesdames  de  SemerviUe  and  Joubert,*  Madame  Le  Con- 
teuse,  Madame  de  Marmont,  Perregaux's  daughter  (married 
to  General  Marmont,  a  favourite  of  Buonaparte),  Madame 
Visconti,  a  very  handsome  Italian,  the  mistress  en  titre  of 
the  master  of  the  house  ;  Madame  de  Stael  too  there.  Most 
of  the  ladies  loaded  with  finery  of  shawls,  laces,  and  a  good 
many  diamonds,  and  abominably  ill-dressed ;  Madame  Vis- 
conti well  dressed  in  black  velvet,  with  only  diamonds  in 
her  head.  The  servants  who  served  refreshments  were  in 
boots.  The  ladies  sat  all  round  the  room,  as  in  a  small 
assembly  in  London  ;  and  the  men  stood  in  the  middle. 
Here  we  remained  till  near  twelve  o'clock,  when  the 
rooms  began  to  be  very  thin. 

Two  people,  a  man  and  his  wife,  who  kept  a  little 
shop  upon  the  Pont  Neuf,  were  murdered  last  night  at 
half-past  six,  that  is  to  say  in  daylight,  with  hundreds  of 
people  passing  every  instant,  and  a  Corps  de  Garde  upon 
the  bridge  ;  these  shops,  too,  being  only  the  recess  formed 
by  the  top  of  the  pier  of  the  arches  of  the  bridge,  one 
hardly  conceives  how  it  is  possible  for  two  people  to  let 
themselves  be  egorges  without  calling  for  help,  which  must 
have  been  near. 

Sunday,  2~lst. — Walked  in  the  Tuileries  from  the  Place 
de  Louis  XV.  to  the  door  at  the  Pont  Eoyal.  The  day 
was  not  fine,  and  threatened  rain  ;  however,  as  the  Decade 

*  Mdlle.  de  Montholon  was  married  to  General  Joubert  on  the  16th  of 
July  1799,  at  the  moment  when  he  was  ordered  to  take  the  command  of  the 
army  in  Italy.  He  left  his  bride,  according  to  some,  the  day  after  the  mar- 
riage ;  according  to  others,  a  few  days  after ;  they  parted  at  Pont-de-Vaux, 
never  to  meet  again.  On  the  15th  of  August  he  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Novi. 


1802]  GARDENS   OF   THE    TUILERIES.  145 

and  the  Sunday  happened  to  meet,  a  good  many  people 
were  walking  in  the  alley  next  the  Terrace  des  Feuillans ; 
but  there  exists  now  little  of  that  charming  variety  which 
used  to  distinguish  the  public  walks  of  Paris.  All  the 
men  are  about  equally  ill-dressed  ;  and  among  the  women 
the  old  costume  of  different  etats  has  almost  vanished. 
The  parterre  before  the  Palace  is  much  prettier  than  it 
was  :  in  each  former  division  of  parterre  they  have  made 
a  grassplat  surrounded  by  borders,  which  divisions  are 
enclosed  with  a  sort  of  rough  treillage  and  very  pretty 
shrubs  and  plants  growing  well  within.  Several  of  the 
statues  have  been  removed  from  other  places  to  the 
terrace  immediately  before  the  Palace. 

In  the  evening  at  the  Theatre  du  Louvois,  by  far  the 
prettiest  I  have  seen  in  Paris,  both  as  to  coupe  and  deco- 
rations :  the  coupe  is  that  of  the  burnt  Theatre  Fran9ais ; 
the  decorations,  a  pink  or  dark  buff-coloured  ground, 
with  arabesques,  griffins,  &c.,  in  bronze  colour  ;  the  backs 
of  the  boxes  painted  as  if  hung  with  blue  cloth  or  silk. 
The  pieces  given  were  '  Les  Provinciaux  a  Paris,'  followed 
by  '  La  petite  Ville ; '  both  most  laughable  comedies,  or 
rather  successions  of  scenes  written  by  Picard,*  himself  an 
excellent  actor  in  both  pieces — indeed,  all  the  characters 
were  represented  with  that  perfect  naturel,  that  en- 
semble only  to  be  found  on  the  French  stage.  In  the 
morning  called  on  Madame  de  Stael.  Found  her  in  an 
excessively  dirty  cabinet — sofa  singularly  so ;  her  own 
dress,  a  loose  spencer  with  a  bare  neck.  The  shops, 
between  its  being  both  Decade  and  Sunday,  were  nearly 
all  half  shut,  and  many  altogether. 

Monday •,    22nd.  —  In   the   morning,    Statue    Gallery 


*  Louis  Benedict  Picard,  dramatist,  born  at  Paris  1769  ;  died  in  1828. 
His  first  production  was  '  Le  Badinage  Dangereux,'  followed  by  a  long  suc- 
cession of  clever  comedies.  '  Le  Contrat  d'Union,' '  La  Petite  Ville,'  and 
'  Les  Marionettes,'  are  considered  the  best.  He  was  also  a  writer  of  poems 
and  of  novels. — Hose's  Biog.  Dictionary. 
VOL.  II.  L 


146  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

and  some  brocantines.  These  shops  at  present  contain 
treasures  of  old  Sevres  china  and  rich  ornaments  of 
all  sorts,  which  have  been  bought  for  nothing  out  of  the 
great  hotels,  and  are  selling  now  for  a  fourth  of  their 
original  price. 

In  the  evening  to  Madame  de  Lucy's,  the  wife  of  the 
Prefet  du  Palais.  This  again  was  an  assembly  about  as 
numerous  as  that  at  Berthier's,  but  less  well  composed  as 
to  women  ;  here  again,  was  all  the  Corps  Diplomatique  : 
Cardinal  Caprera,*  the  Nonce  du  Pape,  in  his  regular 
cardinal's  dress,  Cardinal  Erskine,f  in  that  of  a  monsig- 
nor ;  he  is  as  yet  only  a  cardinal  in  petto  as  it  is  called, 
consequently  has  no  right  to  the  dress.  The  same  Italian 
squad  of  women  and  some  French,  but  dreadfully  vulgar- 
looking. 

The  apartment  was  too  small  for  an  assembly,  but 
arranged  prettily  enough,  painted  to  look  like  panels  of 
satin-wood  and  mahogany.  The  mistress  of  the  house  a 
pretty  and  very  civil  little  person ;  the  master  very  civil 
too,  Men  coiffe  and  not  in  uniform.  To  this  meeting  we 
went  at  ten  o'clock,  came  back  to  our  hotel  a  little  before 
twelve  to  supper,  and  then  started  for  a  ball  at  what  is  called 
the  Circle  des  Strangers :  it  is  given  in  a  large  and  very 
handsome  hotel  near  or  upon  the  Boulevards,  in  the  Eue 
Grange  Batliere,  and  I  believe  the  expenses  are  defrayed 
by  a  club  of  men.  We  were  told  that  here  we  should  see 
les  nouveaux  riches.  If  all  the  company  consisted  of  them 
they  are  numerous  indeed !  It  was  a  meeting  of  many 


*  Cardinal  Caprera,  born  1733 ;  was  sent  to  France  in  1801,  when  the 
First  Consul  solemnly  re-established  the  ordinances  of  religion.  The  Car- 
dinal led  the  Te  Deum  that  concluded  the  ceremony  on  this  occasion  ;  and 
in  1805  he  crowned  the  Emperor  Napoleon  King  of  Italy.  He  died  in 
1810. — Diet,  des  Contemporains. 

t  Charles  Erskine,  born  at  Rome  1753 ;  descendant  of  a  Scotch  family 
who  followed  the  Stuarts  into  exile.  Ke  was  made  Cardinal  by  Pius  VII. 
and  was  well  received  by  the  First  Consul.  He  died  in  1811.— Diet,  des 
Contemporains. 


1802]  SOCIETY  AT    PARIS.  147 

hundreds,  I  think  not  less  than  three  hundred  or  four 

hundred  persons.     There  was  a  file  of  carriages  of  nearly 

a  quarter  of  a  mile  long  on  the  Boulevard,  another  in  the 

street  by  which  we  came.     In  London  this  would  have 

been  the  means  of  breaking  a  dozen  carriages ;   here, 

some  soldiers  stationed  on  the  Boulevard  allowed  one 

carriage  of  each  file  to  come  up  successively.     Of  the 

dress  and  the  undress  of  the  women  in  the  ball,  and  the 

appearance  of  the  men,  and  indeed  of  the  whole  company, 

I  can  give  no  idea.     The  little  coloured  prints  of  the 

Paris  fashions  are  exact  unexaggerated  representations  of 

their  dresses,  but  in  reality  they  are  seldom  exhibited  upon 

as  handsome  figures.     Loads  of  finery  in  gold  and  silver, 

excessively  fine  laces,  bare  necks  and  shoulders  more  than 

half-way  down  the  back,  with  the  two  bladebones  squeezed 

together  in  a  very  narrow-backed  gown ;   arms  covered 

with  nothing  but  a  piece  of  fine  lace  below  the  shoulder ; 

and  trains  that  never  ended  :   in  short,  an  endless  variety 

of  bad  taste,  without  one  single  figure  that  one's  eye  could 

repose  on  with  pleasure.  Such  were  the  women.  Among  the 

men,  in  vain  I  looked  for  les  merveilleux  et  les  incroyables. 

A  general  unsmartness  of  appearance  pervaded  them  all ; 

even  those  who  we  saw  dance  (and  excessively  well)  a 

French  country  dance.    We  left  the  bah1  between  one  and 

two  o'clock,  with  people  still  coming  in.    It  continues  all 

night,  and  the  company  sup  at  any  time  they  like  in 

separate   rooms.     I   must  not  forget  to  say  that  these 

extraordinary  figures  of  men  and  women  waltzing  together, 

in  the  slow  and  deliberate  manner  in  which  in  France 

they  think  it  graceful  to  perform  this  dance,  was  ludicrous 

in  the  extreme.     From  every  circumstance,  both  of  the 

meeting  and  of  the  people  composing  it,  it  was  nearly 

impossible  to  believe  oneself  at  Paris ;  but  then  I  should 

add  we  were  told  that  the  principal  part  of  the  company 

was  what  they  call  the  second  order  of  the  nouveaux 

riches. 

i.  2 


148  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso? 

Tuesday,  %3rd. — In  the  evening  went  to  the  Princess 
de  Beauvau's  (Mdlle.  de  Montemart's  sister),  to  whom 
I  carried  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Harcourt :  as  I  did  not 
even  know  that  it  was  meant  as  one  of  introduction, 
their  civilities  to  us  were  the  more  marked.  They  are 
lodged  in  a  small  house,  the  apartment  more  like  an 
English  than  a  French  one  in  size  and  furniture.  Indeed, 
having  been  all  long  in  England,  (Mdlle.  de  Monte- 
mart  from  a  child)  they  are  much  attached  to  English 
manners,  habits,  and  fashions,  and  speak  English  better 
than  any  French  persons  I  ever  heard.  We  were  the  first 
of  the  party ;  after  us  came  Madame  de  Bouillie  (wife 
to  the  son  of  the  Marquis  de  Bouillie,  an  uncommonly 
pretty,  fair,  quiet-looking  young  woman),  Madame  d'Hen- 
nin,  Madame  de  la  Eochefoucauld  (widow  of  the  Due 
who  was  assassinated*),  the  Due  de  Eohan-Chabot,  his 
nephew  the  Chevalier  de  Chabot,  Mr.  Jackson,  Lord 
Cowper,  Mr.  Luttrell  f ,  and  Lord  Henry  Petty.  J  We  sat 

*  Louis  Alex,  de  la  Rochefoucauld  supported  warmly  many  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Revolutionary  party,  but  was  not  prepared  to  go  the  lengths 
of  its  most  violent  partisans.  He  openly  disapproved  of  the  conduct  of 
Pethion  and  of  Manuel  in  1792.  The  friends  of  these  men  becoming  the 
dominant  party,  the  Duke  was  insulted  and  persecuted.  He  left  Paris ;  but 
his  retreat  was  discovered,  and  assassins  were  sent  to  Gisors,  where  he 
was  murdered,  Sept.  1793,  aged  circ.  sixty  years.  His  mother  narrowly 
escaped  a  similar  fate. — Diet.  Univ. 

f  Henry  Luttrell,  Esq.,  was  distinguished  through  life  by  his  conver- 
sational powers ;  he  had  a  fund  of  anecdote  at  command  and  a  ready  flow 
of  epigrammatic  wit ;  but  his  satire,  though  pointed,  was  seldom  calculated 
to  wound,  and  he  was  a  favoured  guest  in  every  society  in  which  he  lived. 
He  was  the  author  of  '  Letters  to  Julia/  published  1822.  Mr.  Luttrell  died 
at  an  advanced  age  in  1851. 

f  Lord  Henry  Petty,  second  son  of  William,  first  Marquis  of  Lansdowne, 
born  1780,  succeeded  to  his  brother's  titles  and  estates,  1809 ;  married  Louisa 
Emma,  daughter  of  second  Earl  of  Hchester ;  died  1863.  Miss  Berry's 
mention  of  Lord  Henry  Petty  in.  his  early  youth,  can  hardly  be  passed  over 
without  a  word  of  tribute  to  one  who  afterwards  filled  for  so  many  years  a 
most  prominent  and  useful  position,  both  in  public  and  social  life.  His 
political  career  began  at  the  age  of  twenty  six,  when  he  was  appointed  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Exchequer.  As  a  statesman,  his  sound  judgment  and  consistent 
principles  secured  him  the  confidence  of  those  who  acted  with  him,  and  the 
respect  of  those  who  were  opposed  to  him.  His  liberal  encouragement 


1802]  ST.    ROC.  149 

round  a  very  small  room  in  conversation,  these  people 
dropping  in  at  different  times  till  twelve  o'clock,  when  a 
cold  supper  was  served  in  one  of  the  coldest  dining-rooms 
I  ever  felt ;  we  returned  up  stairs  in  about  half  an  hour, 
and  were  at  home  by  half  after  one.  The  supper,  I  believe, 
was  for  us  and  the  other  English,  for  few  or  no  suppers 
are  now  given  here,  either  by  the  new  or  the  old  set. 

Wednesday,  24^. — In  the  morning  to  St.  Koc,  the 
church  in  the  Eue  St.  Honore.  This  church  and  Notre 
Dame  are  those  which  suffered  the  most  in  the  days  of 
devastation,  and,  nota  bene,  it  is  now  the  most  fashionable 
church  in  Paris  next  to  the  Carmes  de  la  Eue  Vaugerard. 
The  side  chapels  are  entirely  degarnie,  the  altars  and 
everything  taken  away  from  them  ;  the  sides  of  the  church 
and  the  basement  which  support  the  columns  Of  the  aisles, 
were  formerly  lined  with  marbles ;  this  lining  is  in  many 
places  taken  away,  and  all  the  pictures,  and  all  the  fine 
frontispieces  of  even  the  remaining  altars.  There  are  two 
chapels  behind  the  great  altar  in  this  church,  and  in  the 
farthest  they  have  placed  a  marble  crucifix  bigger  than 
life,  and  very  well  executed ;  it  was  formerly  in  the 
church  of  the  Mont  Calvaire  ;  here  it  is  lighted  from 
above,  and  seen  through  two  recesses,  and  the  effect  is 
admirable.  In  this  church  there  were  a  few  shabby- 
looking  people  saying  their  prayers,  and  one  woman  I 


of  art,  and  his  taste  for  literature,  made  him  the  Maecenas  of  his  day,  and 
those  who  benefited  by  his  generosity,  or  whose  society  he  sought,  for  their 
merit,  though  often  cheered  by  his  kindness,  were  never  oppressed  by  his 
patronage.  Lord  Lansdowne  had  seen  much,  and  heard  much  ;  he  had  read 
much ;  he  had  observed  much  ;  his  memory  was  retentive,  and  his  power 
of  collecting  facts  and  amalgamating  the  knowledge  derived  from  experience, 
made  him,  not  only  a  valuable  leader  and  adviser  in  the  affairs  of  state,  but 
also  a  most  agreeable  and  instructive  member  of  society ;  he  died  in  the 
fulness  of  years,  and  there  are  few  whose  death  was  ever  regretted  by  so 
wide  a  circle  of  persons,  who  could  proudly  and  gratefully  claim  the  right  to 
mourn  him  as  a  friend  and  a  patron.  Miss  Berry's  acquaintance  with  Lord 
Lansdowne  probably  dated  from  this  visit  to  Paris,  it  continued  with 
warm  unvarying  friendship  and  intimacy  to  the  close  of  Miss  Berry's  life. 


150  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

saw  at  confession.  The  children  of  a  number  of  different 
parishes  are  sent  here  to  say  their  catechism,  and  by  the 
multitude  of  chairs  piled  up  in  every  part  of  the  church, 
one  must  suppose  that  it  is  often  very  full. 

In  the  evening,  Comedie  Fran£aise :  '  The  Philosophe 
sans  le  savoir,'  and  'La  Gageure  imprevue.'  The  first  is  a 
piece  of  Sedaine's,*  much  admired  and  very  frequently 
given  now,  perhaps  because  perfectly  well  acted  by 
Mole,f  Fleury,  and  Mdlle.  Contat.J  It  is  in  itself  one  of 
the  flattest  pieces  of  nothing  but  comings  in  and  goings 
out  that  I  ever  saw.  Whether  for  or  against  duelling  one 
don't  know.  The  'Gageure'  is  an  old  petite  piece,  in  which 
I  have  formerly  seen  Preville.  §  It  is  now  admirably  acted 
in  every  character.  Mole  is  still  super-excellent,  though 
old ;  Mdlle.  Contat,  whom  I  have  seen  in  her  brilliant 
days,  seen  grown  fat  but  still  brilliant,  is  now  still  fatter 
and  no  longer  brilliant,  but  has  a  lovely  countenance, 
and  in  the  roles  de  tantes,  which  she  has  now  adopted,  is 
as  excellent  as  she  was  formerly  in  those  of  the  coquettes. 
Nobody  ever  to  my  ears  pronounced  her  language  so 
prettily. 

*  Michael  John  Sedaine,  dramatic  writer,  born  at  Paris  1717,  died  1797, 
author  of  '  Rose  and  Colin,'  '  Wife  Revenged,'  &c. — Watts 's  Dictionary. 

t  Francis  Reni  Mole,  born  1734,  appeared  on  the  stage  in  1754 ;  hia 
politics  saved  him  from  sharing  the  fate  of  his  comrades  in  1793 ;  he  was 
considered  one  of  the  best  comedians  of  his  time,  and  enjoyed  a  reputation 
as  a  tragedian.  He  died  in  December  1802,  and  was  followed  to  the  grave 
by  all  the  actors  of  all  the  theatres  ia  Paris,  and.  by  a  deputation  from  the 
Institute,  of  which  he  was  a  member. — Biog.  Univ. 

\  Louise  Contat,  born  at  Paris,  1760.  She  was  the  pupil  of  Madame 
Preville,  and  made  her  appearance  on  the  stage  at  sixteen  years  old.  Her 
first  great  success  was  in  the  part  of  Suzanne  in  Beaurnarchais'  Mariage  de 
Figaro,  1784 ;  and  she  became  a  distinguished  performer  at  the  Theatre 
Francais.  Her  immense  size  obliged  her  to  change  her  line  of  characters. 
She  quitted  the  stage  three  years  before  her  death  in  1813. 

§  Pierre  Louis  Dubus,  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  Preville,  was 
born  in  1721.  After  a  brilliant  career  of  thirty-five  years  on  the  stage  he 
retired,  appearing  only  twice  again — in  1791  and  in  1794,  to  celebrate 
the  restoration  of  himself  and  his  colleagues  to  liberty,  after  the  Reign  of 
Terror  in  1793  ;  he  died  in  1800. 


J802]  M.    AND    MADAME    FOUCHE.  151 

It  was  near  eleven  o'clock  before  we  got  to  Madame 
Fouche,  the  wife  of  the  Minister  of  Police,  who  had  an 
assembly  that  night,  and  to  which  Mr.  Jackson  had 
announced  our  coming.  All  the  company  were  leaving 
when  we  entered  the  room  ;  luckily  we  found  Mdlle. 
de  Contuela,  whom  we  knew,  and  who  presented  us  to 
a  fair  vulgar-looking  woman  in  a  yellow  wig,  with  a  very 
fine  gold-muslin  gown  with  a  border  of  gold,  and  a  very 
fine  lace  handkerchief,  which  fell  down  like  an  apron 
before  her.  This  was  Madame  Fouche.*  Our  visit 
lasted  less  than  ten  minutes ;  we  had  not  half  time  to 
admire  the  beauty  of  their  most  splendid  apartments. 
They  inhabit  the  Hotel  de  Mazarin,  upon  the  Quai  de 
Voltaire,  which  has  been  remis-a-neuf  for  its  present 
inhabitants ;  the  salon  is  hung  in  panels  with  the  most 
exquisite  Gobelins,  and  surrounded  with  such  a  pro- 
fusion of  carving  and  gilding  in  admirable  taste  as  I 
never  saw  in  any  palace.  Son  of  a  grocer  at  Nantes,  he 
(Fouche  f)  was  of  the  religious  society  called  Oratoriens, 
which  they  could  quit  when  they  pleased.  He  was  a 
Deputy  to  the  Convention  (that  is  to  say  the  Third  General 
Assembly),  and  was  sent  as  a  Deputy  or  Pro-Consul  to  La 
Vendee,  where  he  distinguished  himself  as  aide-de-camp 
to  Carrier,  Ministre  de  la  Police  Generate,  before  the 
return  of  Buonaparte.  When  the  Jacobin  clubs  were  open- 
ing again,  he,  though  supposed  a  violent  Jacobin,  had  them 

*  Madame  Touches  maiden  name  was  Guoico.  '  Des  femmes  titre"es  detin- 
rent  les  amis  intimes  de  Madame  Fetiche",  femme  de  beaucoup  d'esprit,  qui 
les  traitait  sans  ce"remonie.'  Madame  Fouche"  died  1813. — Biog.  nouvelle  des 
Contemporains. 

t  Joseph  Fouche",  afterwards  Bnc  d'Otranto,  born  1763.  He  was  twenty- 
five  years  old  when  the  Revolution  broke  out ;  was  married,  and  settled  in 
his  native  town.  He  voted  with  D«nton  for  the  death  of  the  King,  and  was 
sent  with  Collot  d'Herbois  to  Lyons,  1793.  In  1799  he  was  raised  to  the 
office  of  Minister  of  Police.  He  married,  in  1815,  a  lady  of  the  family  of 
Castellane.  His  well-known  history  is  too  long  and  too  much  involved  in  the 
history  of  the  time  to  be  comprised  in  a  biographical  note.  He  was  exiled 
in  181*6,  and  died  at  Trieste  in  1820. 


152  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso2 

shut  up  to  keep  his  place,  and  was  maintained  in  it  by 
Buonaparte,  though  known  still  to  be  a  Jacobin.  Fouche 
himself  was  in  the  anteroom,  and  we  only  just  made  our 
curtsies  en  passant.  His  figure  is  not  prepossessing ;  a 
little  man,  with  a  pale  flattish  face  and  small  grey  eyes  ; 
his  dress  that  of  a  minister  of  state,  blue  velvet  embroid- 
ered in  silver,  hussar  boots. 

Thursday ',  2bth. — In  the  morning,  to  the  Musee  des 
Monuments  Nationaux,  which  occupies  the  whole  em- 
placement of  the  Convent  des  petits  Augustins.  Here 
they  have  brought  together  all  the  figures  of  their  kings, 
from  St.  Denis  and  every  other  place ;  all  the  tombs 
and  monuments  of  their  great  men  and  women ;  in  short, 
all  the  spoils  of  their  churches  and  convents  from  almost 
every  part  of  the  country.  Everything  of  former  ages  in 
way  of  sculpture,  which  the  Vandalism  of  the  present 
time  in  the  moments  of  effervescence  left  undestroyed. 
These  are  partly  arranged  and  arranging  (for  there  are  a 
vast  number  of  workmen  now  employed  here  by  a  M. 
Le  Noir)  in  large  salles,  some  formed  by  the  church,  and 
others  by  the  cells  and  dormitory  of  the  monks,  and 
everything  is  thrown  together  according  to  their  cen- 
turies,— that  is  to  say,  all  the  sculptures  and  tombs  of  the 
thirteenth  century  together,  then  of  the  fourteenth,  and 
so  on.  We  had  only  time  to  give  a  rapid  coup  d'ceil, 
but  M.  Le  Noir  gave  us  tickets  to  revisit  the  Musee  when 
we  pleased.  It  is  curious  to  observe  the  rapid  decay  of 
the  art  from  the  days  of  Francis  I.  to  those  of  Louis  XIV. 
The  admired  tomb  of  Cardinal  Eichelieu,  which  happens 
to  be  placed  in  what  was  the  Capucins'  Church,  and  sur- 
rounded with  a  number  of  tombs  of  the  former  period, 
will  not  bear  any  comparison  with  them.  In  the  garden 
surrounded  by  the  cloisters  are  hundreds  of  figures  yet 
unplaced  :  a  beautiful  one  of  Ignatius  Loyola,  in  marble  ; 
a  whole-length  bronze  of  Louis  XIV.,  a  boy,  very  clever. 
At  all  these  museums  and  collections  one  must  be  an 


1802]  M.    CAMBACERES.  153 

artist,  and  only  an  artist,  to  admire  without  regret  or 
often  without  indignation.  In  the  large  garden  of  the 
convent,  which  is  prettily  planted,  M.  Le  Noir  is  arranging 
tombs  and  cenotaphs  to  all  the  great  geniuses  of  France. 
Here  he  has  (or  says  he  has)  the  heart  of  Moliere  and 
the  bones  of  Eacine,  &c.  &c. ;  in  short,  he  calls  it  the 
Champs  Elysees.  This  said  M.  Le  Noir,  the  only  violent 
Jacobin  (in  conversation)  that  I  have  heard,  is  the  only 
person  who  viseed  in  his  discourse,  towards  the  abuse  of 
religion,  &c. 

In  the  evening  we  were  presented  by  Mr.  Jackson 
to  the  Second  and  Third  Consuls ;  we  went  first  to 
Cambaceres',  who  inhabits  the  Hotel  d'Elbceuf :  we  founct 
him  in  the  second  room  of  a  large  apartment  on  the 
ground-floor,  lined  entirely  with  Gobelin  tapestry,  Turkish 
stories,  after  designs  of  a  French  painter ;  when  admiring 
its  freshness,  he  (M.  Cambaceres)  said,  it  had  been  up 
above  sixty-four  years,  and  is  certainly  still  more  brilliant 
than  even  pictures  for  furniture. 

The  company  consisted  of  a  circle  of  men  all  standing 
as  at  a  levee,  in  the  middle  of  which  we  were  presented 
to  the  consul,  and  led  by  him  to  a  row  of  chairs,  where 
were  ranged  about  eight  or  ten  other  women,  all  of  them 
the  wives  of  some  of  the  constituted  authorities ;  they 
were  only  in  demi-toilette,  as  this  is  not  called  an 
assembly.  Most  of  the  men  in  uniforms,  military  or  civil. 
M.  Cambaceres'  manner  is  very  ciyil ;  he  spoke  as  much 
to  us  as  in  such  a  meeting  one  can  expect,  and  asked  us 
to  come  to  his  next  assembly  on  Septidi  (Sunday). 

From  hence  we  went  to  Le  Brun's ;  *  he  is  lodged  in 

*  Charles  Francois  le  Bran,  Duke  of  Piacenza,  born  1739  ;  deputy  to  the 
States-General  1789 ;  appointed  TJrird  Consul  Dec.  1799;  Arch-Treasurer  of 
the  Empire  1804;  Governor- General  of  Liguria,  Duke  of  Piacenza,  in 
1805.  Signed  the  constitution  that  recalled  the  House  of  Bourbon,  and 
created  a  Peer  of  France  by  Louis  XVIII.  After  the  return  of  Napoleon 
in  1815,  accepted  the  peerage  from  him,  and  the  place  of  Grand  Master  of 
the  University,  -which  rendered  him  incapable  of  sitting  in  the  new 
Chamber  formed  in  Aug.  1815.  He  died  in  1824. 


154  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

that  part  of  the  Tuileries  called  the  Pavilion  de  Flore, 
entered  from  the  corner  of  the  Great  Cour.  The  apart- 
ment is  small,  not  magnificently  furnished  like  the  others, 
but  containing  some  good  pictures.  Here  was  just  the 
same  sort  of  meeting  as  at  Cambaceres,  indeed  many  of 
the  same  faces  who  nad  followed  or  preceded  us  there ; 
amongst  the  rest  General  La  Fayette  *  was  announced ; 
he  was  in  no  sort  of  uniform — a  plain  blue  coat,  round 
hat,  and  cropped  head ;  he  is  rather  a  gentlemanlike, 
sickly-looking  man,  but  as  I  never  happened  to  see  him 
before,  I  am  no  judge  how  much  he  is  changed.  I 
observed  that  two  young  men,  the  one  General  De  la 
Eoche,  the  other  the  general  who  commanded  at  Porto 
Ferrajo  ;  neither  of  them  spoke  to  him.  Cambaceres  has 
no  wife  or  lady  who  does  the  honours.  At  Le  Bran's 
(who  is  a  widower),  there  was  an  old  vulgar-looking 
housekeeper  woman,  some  relation,  to  whom  everybody 
made  a  bow ;  she  came  civilly  and  sat  by  me,  but  she 
was  so  entirely  ignorant  of  everything  around  her,  that 
she  did  not  even  know  the  names  of  anyone  in  the  room. 
Le  Brun  was  the  son  of  a  farmer  of  Vire,  in  Normandy, 

*  Marie  Jean  Motier,  Marquis  de  la  Fayette,  born  1757,  at  the  Castle  of 
Chevagnac  in  Auvergne.  Aa  a  general  and  as  a  politician  he  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  three  great  revolutions,  and  acquired  fame  in  both 
hemispheres.  The  history  of  La  Fayette  is  too  well  known  and  too  closely 
interwoven  with  the  history  of  France,  to  be  attempted  in  a  short  biogra- 
phical note.  He  was  married  at  the  age  of  sixteen  to  a  daughter  of  the 
Duke  of  Ayen.  In  1777  he  sailed  for  America.  He  sat  as  deputy  for  the 
nobles  of  Auvergne  at  the  Assembly  of  the  States-General  in  1789.  In 
1790  he  swore  on  the  'Altar  of  the  Country '  in  the  Champ  de  Mars,  fidelity 
to  the  King,  the  law,  and  the  nation.  A  year  afterwards  he  was  denounced 
by  Robespierre,  and  accused  by  Collot  d'Herbois,  but  not  condemned  by  the 
Assembly.  In  1792  he  took  refuge  in  flight  into  Austria ;  he  endured  five 
years'  imprisonment  at  Olmutz  ;  set  at  liberty  by  Napoleon's  intervention, 
in  1797 ;  re-entered  France  on  Napoleon's  becoming  First  Consul.  His 
conduct  in  1830  decided  the  fate  of  the  old  dynasty,  and  established  that  of 
the  new.  He  was  Commander  of  the  National  Guard.  He  declined  nego- 
tiation with  the  King's  party,  by  publicly  replying  :  '  II  n'est  plus  temps,' 
and  on  the  same  day  giving  a  public  reception  to  the  Duke  of  Orleans.  He 
died  May  1834. — Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Biography. 


180-2]  M.    LE    BRUX.  155 

secretary  to  the  famous  Maupeou,  for  whom  he  wrote  all 
the  edicts  and  proclamations  ;  called  by  Maupeou  '  Mon 
Bijou ; '  was  of  the  Constituent  Assembly ;  then  of  the 
Conseils  des  Anciens,  from  whence,  wrhen  Buonaparte 
came  from  Egypt,  he  was  made  Consul.  He  has  the 
manners  and  appearance  of  a  clever  man  ;  he  recollected 
Mrs.  Darner,  from  having  seen  her  as  long  ago  as  when 
the  Prince  of  Conti's  pictures  were  sold  here  in  1775. 
He  is  a  man  of  letters,  has  translated  '  Tasso's  Jerusalem ' 
and  the  '  Iliad  of  Homer '  into  French  prose. 

After  staying  about  half  an  hour  at  Le  Brun's,  we 
returned  where  Barrois  was  to  meet  us,  and  changing 
our  dress,  that  is  to  say,  making  ourselves  less  smart,  we 
were  conducted  by  him  to  one  of  the  many  public  rooms 
open  most  nights-  for  dancing  in  this  great  town.  The 
one  we  chose,  as  the  nearest,  was  called  the  Hotel  de 
Longueville,  in  the  Place  de  Carouzel.  It  is  a  very  long 
low  room,  painted  in  arabesques,  very  dirty,  but  very 
well  lighted  by  the  patent  lamps  suspended  from  the 
ceiling.  We  found  this  place  at  eleven  o'clock  about  half 
full  of  shabby-looking  people ;  masks  were  admitted  that 
night,  so  that  a  third  of  the  company  were  in  masks, 
which  I  regretted.  After  all  the  repeated  histories  one 
has  heard  of  the  indecency  of  the  dress  and  manners  of 
Paris,  I  felt  some  degree  of  uneasiness  before  I  went  in, 
for  fear  of  seeing  somewhat  too  much.  My  fears  were 
quite  superfluous.  I  never  was  in  a  more  quiet  decent 
assembly;  there  was  not  one  woman  dressed  the  least 
indecorously,  not  one  half  as  naked  as  those  at  the  Bal  des 
Etrangers.  Nor  was  there  any  impropriety  of  manners ; 
there  was  indeed  much  less  gaiety  than  I  should  have 
expected  in  such  a  meeting,  much  less  than  I  have  for- 
merly seen  in  dances  of  this  order  of  people  in  France. 
The  dances  were  principally  waltzes,  for  which  there  is 
such  a  rage  at  present,  that  in  every  society  they  have  in 
a  manner  superseded  their  own  pretty  country  dances,  in 


156  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isc2 

which  they  excel,  while  they  don't  waltze  half  as  well  as 
the  Germans.  All  the  women  who  dance  in  the  sort  of 
balls  I  am  now  speaking  of,  are  sensees  to  be  of  bad 
character,  which  made  the  decency  of  their  dress  and 
manners  the  more  remarkable.  There  were  several  bons 
bourgeois,  both  men  and  women,  walking  up  and  down 
the  room,  for  it  is  only  dancing  which  is  forbid  a  des 
honnetes  femmes  in  these  places.  There  were  several 
women  in  men's  clothes,  a  fashion  now  very  general  in 
this  order  of  people,  sometimes  for  convenience,  and  at 
other  times,  I  dare  say,  for  less  excusable  reasons.  There 
were  likewise  several  men  in  women's  clothes,  but  these 
wore  masks,  or  intended  to  do  so.  We  remained  at  this 
ball  near  an  hour,  and  left  the  room  much  fuller  than 
when  we  entered.  It  was  to  continue  all  night. 

Friday,  26th. — In  the  morning,  walked  in  the  Champs 
Elysees  from  the  Place  de  Louis  XV.  quite  up  to  the 
Barriere.  It  was  between  three  and  four  o'clock,  and 
there  was  almost  a  string  of  carriages  then  going  to  the 
Bois  de  Boulogne — so  much  are  the  hours  of  Paris  altered. 
The  Bois  de  Boulogne  is  more  than  ever  the  fashionable 
rendezvous  of  all  the  world  that  have  horses  and  carriages. 
Saw  three  women  on  horseback,  well  mounted,  with  hats 
and  habits  exactly  like  English  women.  The  road  upon 
each  side  of  the  pave  through  the  Champs  Elysees  very 
rough,  and  the  walks  between  the  trees  are  by  no  means 
in  good  order.  There  were  not  many  people  walking, 
though  the  day  was  fine  and  warm.  Dined  at  Mr.  Jackson's 
(our  Minister).  He  is  well  lodged  in  a  rez-de-chaussee  apart- 
ment in  the  Hotel  de  Caraman,  Eue  St.  Dominique.  The 
company  consisted  of  Madame  Brignole,  Madame  de  Stael, 
the  ci-devant  Abbe,  now  M.  de  St.  Phar,  the  Prince  Auguste 
d'Aremberg,  called  formerly  theComte  de  la  March e,  Baron 
Amfelt,  Adrien  de  Montmorency,*  the  Swedish  Minister 

*  Anne  Pierre  Adrien  Montmorency,  born  1769,  succeeded  to  the  title  of 
Due  de  Laval  on  his  father's  death,  1816.      He  served  in  the  army  as  a 


1802]  GENERAL   MARMONT.  157 

(Baron  Ehrenswerd),  the  Marquis  of  Douglas,*  and  General 
Marmont's  f  wife  (Perregaux's  daughter),  a  pretty  little 
woman,  but  with  airs  and  graces  and  certain  careless 
impertinence  of  manner  which  rencheried  upon  all  the 
ci-devant  duchesses  and  marquises ;  her  husband  is  an 
affide  of  Buonaparte's ;  is  one  of  the  five  who  returned 
with  him  from  Egypt,  and  now  much  in  his  confidence. 
He  is  rather  short,  with  black  hair  out  of  powder,  and 
much  beard ;  a  sensible,  intelligent,  grave  countenance  : 
he  put  me  something  in  mind  of  the  second  daughter  of 
the  Archbishop  of  York.J 

While  we  were  dressing,  between  five  and  six,  to 
dine  at  Mr.  Jackson's,  the  cannons  of  the  Invalides 
announced  to  us  that  the  long-expected  peace  was  at 
last  signed.  It  seemed  to  make  very  little  impression 
on  the  company  with  whom  we  dined.  Our  Minister 
seemed  much  in  the  dumps,  for  which  probably  he  had 
reasons  of  his  own.  The  news  in  no  way  occupied 
any  part  of  the  conversation  or  attention  of  the  rest  of 
the  company.  At  the  Opera  or  in  the  streets,  I  expected 
to  see  some  lively  demonstrations  of  some  sort  or  other. 
Mais  point  du  tout !  in  the  streets  there  were  no  crowds, 
or  groups,  or  bonfires,  or  anything;  the  public  offices 
were  illuminated  with  little  pots-a-feu  upon  the  outside  of 


young  man,  but  giving  up  his  profession  he  returned  to  France  in  1801.  In 
1814  he  was  roused  again  to  take  part  in  the  Royalist  cause  ;  the  same  year 
he  was  sent  as  ambassador  to  Madrid ;  he  filled  the  same  position  afterwards 
at  Rome  and  in  London. 

*  Alexander,  Marquis  of  Douglas,  born,  1767,  succeeded  his  father  as  Duke 
of  Hamilton,  1819  ;  died  1852. 

t  Auguste  Frederic  Louis  de  Marmont,  Due  de  Ragtisa,  was  born  in 
1774,  of  an  ancient  and  respectable  family.  He  entered  the  army  in  1789. 
Iii  1796  he  was  first  aide-de-camp  to  Napoleon,  when  commanding  the  armv 
of  Italy,  and  was  from  that  time  engaged  in  constant  military  service  and 
commands,  and  generally  with  distinction,  till  defeated  by  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  at  Salamanca.  On  the  return  of  the  Bourbons  he  gave  in  his 
adhesion,  and  accompanied  Louis  XVIII.  to  Ghent.  Died  at  Venice,  1852. 

J  Dr.  William  Markhain. 


158  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

the  walls,  but  hardly  any  private  houses  were  lighted — 
nothing  like  a  general  illumination.  The  Tuileries  were 
beautiful  with  straight  lines  of  fire  along  the  immense 
extent  of  the  building,  and  again  upon  the  iron  rails  and 
gates  of  the  cour  in  front.  At  the  Opera,  where  we  did 
not  arrive  till  near  nine  o'clock,  the  announcement  of  the 
peace  had  taken  place  immediately  after  the  curtain  drew 
up,  and  was  received,  we  were  told,  with  loud  applause 
by  a  crowded  house.  But  this  first  applause  over,  there 
was  no  return,  no  allusions,  no  anything  that  could  lead 
one  to  suppose  a  great  event  had  taken  place.  I  am  told 
that  the  people  of  Paris  have  now  for  long  been  so 
fatigued  with  emotions  and  changes  and  great  events,  that 
they  are  grown  perfectly  indifferent,  and  that  all  those 
events  that  have  happened  in  their  own  history  for  these 
last  three  years,  have  been  received  with  equal  indifference. 

The  opera  was '  Edipe  a  Colonne,'  the  music  very  pretty. 
The  ballet '  Paris,'  admirable  ;  but  unfortunately,  in  the 
midst  of  it,  Jackson  announced  to  us  in  a  very  unqualified 

manner,  the  death  of ,  which  he  had  just  heard  from 

England  !  Of  the  ballet  I  saw  little  more  ! 

Saturday,  27th. — I  had  a  bad  night,  and  woke  with 
such  a  violent  attack  of  nervous  headache,  that  I  was 
confined  to  my  bed  all  day. 

Sunday,  28th. — Drove  through  the  Bois  Boulogne  to 
Bagatelle.  It  is  now  open  to  all  the  world  upon  pay- 
ing sevenpence  a-piece  for  people  walking,  or  fifteen 
pence  for  a  carriage.  The  first  corps  de  bdtiment, 
through  which  we  drove  to  the  little  pavilion  itself,  is 
inhabited  by  a  traiteur,  who,  I  fancy,  is  a  considerable 
proprietor  of  the  whole,  and  I  dare  say  makes  it  answer 
very  well,  for  on  this  fine  Sunday  there  were  above  half  a 
dozen  cabriolets  and  other  carriages  in  the  cour,  and  a 
number  of  people  walking  about  the  grounds,  which  are 
kept  in  very  tolerable  order,  though  very  different  from 
what  I  saw  it  when  we  breakfasted  there  with  the  Duke 


1802]  BAGATELLE. — HAMEAU   DE   CHAXTILLT.  159 

of  Dorset*  in  1785.  The  Pavilion,  too,  is  open  to  all 
comers.  The  arabesques  upon  the  walls,  the  ceilings, 
and  the  chimney-pieces  remain  the  same,  only  much  less 
clean.  Some  of  its  Sunday  visitors  were  playing  in  the 
billiard-room.  The  grounds  are  pretty,  though  the  trees 
have  ill-thriven,  and,  I  think,  the  evergreens  and  firs  have 
positively  not  grown  an  inch  in  the  last  fifteen  years.  The 
water,  too,  is  ridiculous,  conducted  in  little  narrow  wind- 
ing channels,  with  half-a-dozen  bridges  of  all  sorts  and 
sizes  over  it,  and  half-a-dozen  different  rock-works  and 
caverns  on  its  banks.  In  the  Bois  de  Boulogne  were 
numbers  of  people  walking  and  sitting  in  groups  under 
the  trees.  On  our  return,  between  three  and  four  o'clock, 
all  the  carriages  of  Paris — bad,  good,  and  indifferent— 
were  drawn  up  in  the  great  alley  of  the  Champs  Elysees, 
opposite  the  garden  of  the  house  formerly  belonging  to 
the  Duchess  de  Bourbon,  now  a  public  garden,  and  called 
the  Hameau  de  Chantilly,  from  whence  a  balloon  was  just 
going  off.  We  saw  it  inflated  and  appearing  above  the 
wall  of  the  garden,  and  soon  after  our  return  home  saw 
it  passing  over  our  heads  at  a  vast  height.  This  day  has 
convinced  me  how  much  Sunday  is  now  kept  by  the 
Parisians.  Most  of  the  shops  were  shut,  everybody  in 
the  streets  or  in  the  public  walks,  in  their  best  clothes ; 
in  short,  a  dimanche  bien  constate  of  the  ancien  regime. 
The  gaiety  of  Paris  and  its  environs  in  a  fine  day  of  this 
sort  must  strike  every  mind  agreeably,  even  one  as  little 
disposed  to  cheerfulness  as  mine  is  at  this  instant. 

In  the  evening  at  Cambaceres'  assembly.  It  is  exces- 
sively entertaining  to  us  to  see  there  the  figures  of  a  num- 
ber of  persons  whose  names  one  has  been  reading  of  in 
newspapers  for  these  last  ten  years.  Among  those  we 
saw  was  a  garcon  imprimeur,  who  became  the  editor  of  a 

*  John  Frederick,  third  Duke  of  Dorset,  appointed  ambassador  to  France 
December  1783.  He  married,  1790,  Arabella  Diana  Cope,  daughter  of  Sir 
Charles  Cope,  Bart.  He  died  July  1799. 


MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

journal,  which  he  composed,  printed,  and  distributed  him- 
self,— General  Brune*  (who  commanded  in  Holland) ;  he  is 
one  of  the  very  tallest  men  I  ever  saw,  between  thirty  and 
forty,  rather  awkward,  with  a  sensible  but  not  agreeable 
countenance.  Massena  f  was  there,  not  in  uniform  ;  a  crop, 
with  thick  black  hair  ;  a  vulgar-looking  intelligent  coun- 
tenance, and  rather  a  short  thick  figure.  There  were 
several  whose  name  we  could  not  learn,  in  general's  full- 
dress  uniforms,  which  is  extremely  rich  :  blue  embroidered 
in  gold,  with  scarlet  cuffs,  a  monstrous  high  scarlet  collar, 
both  covered  with  embroidery;  white  pantaloons  flourished 
all  over  with  embroidery  in  the  front,  and  likewise  down 
the  seams,  to  hussar  boots  bound  with  gold  and  gold  tassels ; 
a  broad  scarlet  belt,  covered  with  gold  ornaments,  and 
fastened  with  a  large  plaque  in  front ;  a  large  and  highly 
ornamented  sabre.  Cambaceres  received  us  in  the  great 
apartment  on  the  first  floor,  consisting  of  I  know  not  how 
many  rooms.  As  in  London,  the  first  room  only  was  full. 
This  hotel  (the  Hotel  d'Elboeuf )  is  a  specimen  of  the  fine 
old  ones,  remis  a  neuf,  and  some  new  furniture,  such  as 
bookcases,  &c.,  and  beautiful  carpets,  to  which  one's  atten- 
'tion  was  every  minute  disagreeably  called  by  all  the  men 
indiscriminately  spitting  upon  them.  There  were  many 


*  Mare"chal  Guillaume  Marie  Anne  Brune,  born  1763.  He  was  sent  to 
Paris  to  study  the  law;  wrote  pamphlets  on  the  state  of  public  affairs,  and 
in  1790-91  was  editor  of  the  Journal  de  la  Cour  et  de  la  Ville,  He  aided 
Danton  in  forming  the  Club  des  Cordeliers.  He  commanded  in  Belgium, 
1799,  when  the  Prussian-English  army  capitulated.  In  1800  he  commanded 
in  La  Vendee,  and  in  1803  was  sent  ambassador  to  Constantinople.  In  1814 
he  gave  in  his  adhesion  to  Louis  XVIII. ;  joined  the  standard  of  Napoleon 
on  his  return  from  Elba,  and  repeated  his  submission  to  Louis  XVIII.  after 
the  Cent  Jours — but  was  murdered  at  Avignon  on  his  way  to  Paris. — Hose's 
Biog.  Diet,  and  Biog.  Univ. 

f  Andre"  Massena,  born  1758 ;  in  1793  he  commanded  the  right  wing  of 
the  army  in  Italy ;  his  constant  successes  obtained  for  him  from  Napoleon 
the  title  of  '  L'Enfant  chtirie  de  la  Victoire.'  In  1810  he  replaced  Soult  in 
Spain,  and  was  repulsed  by  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  In  1814  he  gave  in 
his  adhesion  to  Louis  XVIII.  After  Waterloo  he  was  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  National  Guard;  died  1817. 


1802]  THE   OPERA  AND   BALLET.  1G1 

more  women  at  this  meeting  than  I  have  seen  at  any  of 
the  others — all  of  the  new  world,  or  foreigners.  Many  of 
them  strange,  uncouth  figures,  all  meaning  to  be  smart 
loaded  with  finery. 

Monday,  29th. — I  never  even  in  England  experienced 
such  a  violent  and  sudden  change  in  the  temperature  as 
took  place  between  yesterday  and  to-day.  Yesterday  it 
was  oppressively  hot  in  the  sun,  without  a  breath  of  air. 
To-day,  the  wind  having  got  into  the  north,  it  was  so  cold 
that  snow  fell  in  the  morning.  Called  at  Madame  de 
Boufflers  (the  wife  of  the  Chevalier)  and  Madame  de 
Castellane,  whom  we  found  at  home.  Her  account  why 
the  two  present  societies  cannot  easily  amalgamate  is 
curious  and  very  true  by  what  we  have  seen. 

In  the  evening  at  the  Opera.  'Astyanax'  was  the  opera, 
and  '  Psyche  '  the  ballet.  All  French  operas  are  so  like 
one  another  that  it  is  only  of  the  decoration  that  one  can 
speak.  The  last  scene,  of  Pyrrhus  going  on  board  a  vessel 
with  Astyanax  and  Andromache,  and  sailing  away  with  all 
his  fleet,  was  very  good;  but  au  reste,  it  is  always  the  same 
scrambling  and  violent  exertion  of  voice,  always  the  same 
exaggerated  action,  always  a  scene  which  we  have  called 
the  tearing  scene,  where,  from  sorrow,  or  joy,  or  fear,  or 
entreaty.  Us  sejettent  Pun  sur  Vautre,  and  after  half  pulling 
one  another  to  pieces,  are  always  either  torn  asunder,  or 
go  off  in  one  another's  arms.  The  bodily  fatigue  of  these 
grand  roles  d  opera  is  so  great  that  the  people  must  have 
monstrous  strong  constitutions,  as  well  as  monstrous  strong 
voices,  to  support  them.  Mdlle.  Maillard,  a  great  fat 
woman,  acted  Andromache  not  without  some  dignity ;  but 
there  is  no  fine  female  actress  at  the  Opera  at  present.  The 
ballet  of  *  Psyche,'  as  they  give  it  here,  is  a  long  pantomime, 
little  dancing,  but  admirable  in  its  way.  Madame  Gardel* 

*  Marie  Anne  Elizabeth  Gardel,  wife  of  a  favourite  dancer  of  that  name, 
born  1770.    She  appeared  in  1786,  and  from  the  year  1792  was  held  in  high 
VOL.  II.  M 


162  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

was  Psyche,  and  is  lightness  and  grace  itself.  St.  Amand 
was  Amour.  The  scene  of  Psyche  ascending  the  rock,  of  her 
being  carried  off  in  the  clouds  by  Cupid,  and  of  her  tor- 
ments in  Tartarus  ;  of  her  toilet  and  her  lesson  of  dancing 
given  by  Terpsichore,  charming.  In  all  the  ballets  here, 
even  when  there  are  not  many  entrees  of  the  principal 
dancers,  the  remplissage  of  figurants,  &c.  is  never  tiresome, 
because  it  is  done  with  a  grace  and  a  perfection  of  execu- 
tion which  exists  here,  and  here  only. 

Tuesday,  3(M. — In  the  morning  to  the  Abbe*  Sicard's* 
Institution  for  the  instruction  of  the  deaf  and  dumb. 
Every  decade,  I  believe,  he  gives  a  public  lesson,  or  rather 
exhibits  some  of  his  pupils  in  public.  Lord  Henry  Petty, 
who  recommended  us  to  go,  procured  us  some  tickets.  It 
is  a  seminary  (formerly  a  religious  one),  called  St.  Maglaire. 
We  entered  a  large  room,  with  circular  benches  filling  it 
up,  to  a  sort  of  estrade,  where  the  abbe  stood,  and  about 
twenty  of  his  pupils,  in  uniform  of  pepper  and  salt  faced 
with  blue,  seated  on  each  side  of  him.  The  most  enter- 
taining part  was  when  he  gave  a  first  lesson  to  a  very 
pretty  little  boy  of  eight  years  old,  and  when  he  allowed 
his  most  advanced  pupils  to  prove  how  thoroughly  they 
understand  both  language  and  grammar,  and  how  clear 
and  just  are  their  ideas.  This  was  done  by  one  deaf  and 
dumb  reading  (by  signs)  out  of  a  quite  new  pamphlet  to 
another  deaf  and  dumb,  who,  as  fast  as  anybody  speaking 

estimation  by  the  public.     She  retired  in  1816  but  reappeared  in  1819  on 
the  occasion  of  her  husband's  benefit. 

*  Roch-Amboise  Cucurron  Sicard  (Abbe"),  born  1742.  In  1791  the  Con- 
stituent Assembly  adopted  his  establishment  for  the  instruction  of  the  deaf 
and  dumb  as  a  national  institution.  In  1792  he  was  seized  whilst  instruct- 
ing his  pupils  and  thrown  into  prison ;  he  appealed  to  a  Protestant  friend, 
M.  Laffon  de  Lade"bat,  from  the  chambre  d'arret  of  L'Abbaye  St.  Germain- 
des-Pres,  saying  he  was  the  only  priest  the  people  had  not  yet  sacrificed; 
his  appeal  was  not  in  vain,  and  he  was  rescued  from  a  most  perilous  position. 
He  afterwards  endured  two  years  of  exile,  but  was  restored  to  his  labours 
and  his  institution  by  the  revolution  of  the  18  Brumaire.  He  died  in  1822 
at  the  age  of  eighty. — Diet,  des  Contemporains. 


1802]  THE   ABBE   SICARD.  163 

could  dictate,  wrote  down  word  for  word  what  was  con- 
tained in  the  book  upon  a  large  slate  tablet,  exposed  to 
the  eyes  of  all  the  spectators,  and  afterwards  making  upon 
another  slate  tablet  by  the  side  of  it,  a  grammatical 
analysis  of  what  he  had  written ;  that  is  to  say,  taking 
out  all  the  propositions  or  assertions  made  in  the  phrase 
he  had  written,  and  placing  them  one  after  the  other  in 
their  grammatical  construction,  and  without  their  con- 
necting prepositions,  conjunctions,  &c.  This  was  both 
curious,  satisfactory,  and  amusing ;  but  when  the  master 
talked  himself,  which  he  did  in  a  proportion  which  more 
than  made  up  for  the  dumbness  of  all  the  others,  he 
proved  that  if  he  had  the  powers  of  giving  others  clear 
ideas  he  had  not  left  a  single  one  for  himself.  He  em- 
brouilleed  himself  in  systems  of  general  grammar,  of  mind, 
and  of  logic,  till  he  became  so  excessively  confused  and 
tiresome,  that  after  sitting  there  from  eleven  till  past  one 
o'clock,  and  finding  there  was  no  hope  of  his  ending,  we 
contrived  to  get  away,  resolving  never  to  trust  ourselves 
to  the  eternal  Babel  of  a  teacher  of  deaf  and  dumb  till  we 
had  become  theirs*  ourselves,  and  had  no  objection  to 
remain  the  second. 

From  this  we  went  to  the  Tuileries,  to  see  the  apart- 
ments occupied  by  Buonaparte.  Sandos,  a  Swiss  tailor, 
settled  here  and  much  employed  by  Madame  Buona- 
parte, procured  us  this  permission,  which  is  only  obtained 
by  favour,  as  it  is  by  no  means  shown  to  all  the  world. 
It  is  well  they  are  not.  Republican  simplicity  might 
well  be  excused  for  being  startled  at  such  magnifi- 
cence. I  have  formerly  seen  Versailles,  and  I  have 
seen  the  Little  Trianon,  and  I  have  seen  many  palaces 
in  other  countries,  but  I  never  saw  anything  surpassing 
the  magnificence  of  this.  The  apartment  was  that  in 
which  they  actually  live;  it  is  the  lower  range  of  win- 
dows looking  to  the  garden  from  the  Pavilion  de  Flore 
to  the  centre.  It  consists  of  a  large  antechamber ;  a 

M  2 


164  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

salon,  hung  and  furnished  with  blue-lilac  lustring  em- 
broidered in  the  honey-suckle  pattern  with  maron,  in  the 
best  taste  possible.  The  curtains  had  the  same  pattern  in 
an  applique  of  cloth.  In  this  room  is  the  beautiful 
St.  Cecilia  with  a  turban,  playing  upon  the  harp,  by 
Dornenichino — I  think  from  the  Borghese  Palace.  The 
second  salon  was  furnished  with  yellow  satin  and  brown 
and  sang  de  boeuf  fringes,  and  nothing  can  be  more  mag- 
nificent than  this  room ;  the  glasses  were  all  drapes,  ands 
not  framed,  which  has  a  much  handsomer  effect ;  beneath 
the  glasses  stood  beautiful  porphyry  and  other  fine  marble 
tables,  and  upon  these  tables  magnificent  vases  of  Sevres 
and  of  granite,  &c.,  mounted  in  ormolu,  and  very  fine 
candelabra ;  in  the  middle  of  the  room  hung  a  lustre  of 
English  crystals,  mounted  with  a  great  deal  of  ormolu  ; 
the  chairs,  exquisite  tapestry.  The  next  room  was  the 
bedchamber,  the  one  where  they  actually  both  sleep  in  one 
bed.  The  furniture  here  was  blue  silk  with  white  and 
gold  fringes — the  bed,  in  a  recess  drape ;  it  is  of  ma- 
hogany, with  rich  and  rather  heavy  ormolu  ornaments. 
The  room  is  hung  with  some  small  old  pictures ;  beyond 
this  a  small  salle  des  bains,  without  any  particular  orna- 
ment ;  here  Buonaparte  shaves  and  makes  his  very  short 
toilet ;  and  from  hence  an  escalier  derobe  leads  up  to  his 
cabinet  de  travail  above ;  beyond  this  room  (the  salle  des 
bains],  from  which  a  passage  is  taken  off,  is  a  cabinet  de 
lecture,  that  is  to  say,  a  smallish  room,  with  bookcases  all 
round  about  the  height  of  a  chimney-piece,  shut  up,  of 
rosewood  inlaid  a  la  Grecque  with  satin-wood,  the  walls 
above  hung  with  green ;  and  in  this  room  is  placed  the 
'Madonna  della  Sedia,'  but  it  immediately  struck  both 
Mrs.  D.  and  myself  to  be  a  copy,  or  if  the  original, 
painted  over  so  as  to  be  no  longer  itself — I  hope  and 
believe  it  is  a  copy.  Beyond  this  is  Madame  Buonaparte's 
dressing-room,  fitted  up  with*  the  same  elegance — a  low 
room — white  muslin  embroidered,  and  white  lustring 


1802]          VISIT  TO  BUONAPARTE'S  APARTMENTS.  165 

curtains  with  white  and  gold  fringes.  Here  was  a  rose- 
wood cabinet,  or  rather  large  necessaire,  containing  every- 
thing for  ladies'  work,  all  in  cut  steel,  the  outside  much 
ornamented  with  the  same ;  it  was  brought  from  England 
to  Madame  Buonaparte  by  General  Lauriston.*  Beyond 
this  dressing-room  is  a  small  bedchamber,  inhabited  by 
Mademoiselle  de  Beauharnoisf  till  she  married.  It  contains 
a  very  large  cabinet  lately  brought  from  Versailles,  and 
meant  to  be  placed  in  one  of  the  large  apartments.  It 
was  originaUy  made  "to  contain  the  queen's  jewels,  and  is 
by  far  the  richest  meuble  I  ever  saw,  though  neither 
pretty  or  in  good  taste,  but  covered  with  ormolu  nacre- 
de-perle,  Sevres  china,  and  painted  cameos.  From  hence 
we  went  up  stairs,  meaning  to  see  the  great  apartment, 
but  it  was  locked.  The  next  day  we  made  another 
attempt  under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  Sandos,  a  personage 
seemingly  in  high  favour  at  the  Tuileries.  I  fancy  seeing 
this  is  attended  with  some  difficulty,  owing  to  no  one 
being  admitted  into  Buonaparte's  cabinet  de  travail,  which 
was  indeed  what  we  principally  wished  to  see. 

In  the  evening  went  to  Berthier's.  It  was  novidi,  his 
day,  and  he  had  made  it  a  ball.  There  were  benches 
placed  ah1  round  the  first  room,  which  was  empty  when 
we  arrived ;  but  in  time  the  rooms  were  occupied  by 
women,  while  a  wide  passage  was  left  behind  them  for 
the  men  to  move  about.  We  got  places  upon  these 
benches,  and  I  saw  a  great  deal  of  excellent  dancing. 
The  dress  much  less  naked  and  extravagant  than  at 
the  Bal  des  Etrangers.  Madame  d'Hamelin  one  of  the 
best  dancers,  but  she  is  not  pretty,  and  has  a  heavy 
figure.  M.  de  Chatillon  the  best  among  the  men, 


*  General  Lauriston,  born  at  Pondicherry,  1764,  was  employed  on 
various  missions  by  Buonaparte  when  First  Consul ;  he  was  sent  to  Eng- 
land with  the  ratification  of  the  preliminaries  of  the  Peace  of  Amiens. 

t  Hortense,  born  1783,  married  to  Louis  Buonaparte,  afterwards  King  of 
Holland,  January  6,  1802. 


166  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

though  many  danced  admirably;  but  I  never  saw  any 
dancing  like  his  off  the  opera  stage,  and  his  figure  made 
for  it.  They  all  wore  crops,  and  very  few  bien  peigne 
or  looking  clean.  There  was  a  supper  for  above  a 
hundred  people.  Among  the  company  at  Berthier's 
was  General  Moreau*  and  his  wife.f  He  is  a  middle- 
sized,  quiet-looking  man,  who  at  a  distance  gave  me  a 
little  the  idea  of  Sir  G.  Beaumont,  though  shorter  and 
blacker ;  but  I  was  not  near  enough  to  see  his  counte- 
nance. His  wife  is  a  very  pretty,  very  modest-looking 
young  person,  prettily  dressed,  and  dancing  very  well. 
Young  Beauharnois  was  among  the  dancers  ;  he  is  rather 
good-looking,  but  by  no  means  distinguished.  Monge,J 
who  was  once  the  Minister  of  Marine  and  was  afterwards 
at  the  head  of  the  Egyptian  Institute,  was  likewise  there, 


*  Jean  Victor  Moreau,  general  of  the  French  Eepublic,  born  1763 ;  he 
took  up  arms  at  Rennes,  where  he  had  gone  to  study  the  law,  in  1787.  He 
assisted  Pichegru  in  the  conquest  of  Holland,  and  opened  the  campaign  of 
1796  by  the  defeat  of  the  Austrians.  The  discovery  of  the  secret  corre- 
spondence carried  on  by  Pichegru  with  the  Bourbons  involved  him  in  that 
disgrace,  and  he  retired  from  the  army.  In  1798  he  was  again  employed. 
At  the  close  of  1800  he  won  the  battle  of  Hohenlinden.  In  1804  he  was 
again  charged  with  being  implicated  in  the  Eoyalist  conspiracies ;  he  was 
condemned  to  prison,  but  allowed  to  go  to  America.  In  1813  he  returned 
to  Europe,  and  was  induced  by  the  sovereigns'  of  Russia,  Austria,  and 
Prussia  to  aid  in  the  direction  of  the  allied  armies  against  his  own  country. 
He  was  dangerously  wounded  on  the  27th  of  August,  in  the  attack  on 
Dresden,  and  died  in  consequence  on  the  1st  of  September.  He  was  buried 
at  St.  Petersburg ;  the  Emperor  of  Russia  provided  for  his  widow,  who 
received  the  title  of  Mare"chale  from  Louis  XVIII. — Rose's  Biog.  Diet. 

t  Madame  Moreau  was  the  daughter  of  General  Halot  d'Osery. 

J  Gaspard  Monge,  born  1746,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Polytechnic 
School.  He  was  employed,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  to  teach  natural  philo- 
sophy in  the  College  at  Lyons.  In  1796  he  accompanied  the  army  in 
the  invasion  of  Italy,  and  afterwards  in  the  expedition  to  Egypt ;  and  to  him, 
with  Bertholet  and  Fourier,  all  the  scientific  fruits  of  that  expedition  are 
due.  An  intimacy  sprang  up  there  between  Monge  and  Buonaparte,  which 
made  the  former  so  zealous  an  adherent  of  the  latter,  that  he  was  expelled 
from  the  Institute  at  the  final  restoration  of  Louis  XVIII.  Monge  was 
the  author  of  various  scientific  works  of  great  reputation.  He  died  in  1818. 
— Rose's  Biog.  Diet. 


1802]  LA   PLACE. — MONGE.  167 

and  La  Place,*  the  great  mathematician,  a  smooth,  sickly, 
ordinary-looking  man.  To  him  we  were  introduced  by 
Sir  C.  Blagden,f  and  to  Monge  by  Madame  de  Stae'l. 
But  a  ten  years'  separation  of  the  two  countries  seems  to 
have  made  them  entirely  forget  England  and  English 
people,  and  everything  that  concerns  them.  They  have 
not,  thank  God,  had  emigrants  during  this  period  to  keep 
up  their  acquaintance  with  us ! 

Wednesday,  31s£. — Made  some  visits.  To  Madame  de 
Coigny ;  found  her  at  home.  She  lives  in  Eue  d'Agnes- 
seau,  Faubourg  St.  Honore,  and  has  a  comfortable  apart- 
ment in  the  house  that  was  her  mother's,  the  Marquise  de 
Conflans.  In  the  evening  to  the  Opera,  in  the  box  of  the 
Swedish  Minister.  '  LesMysteres  d'Isis.'  The  music  is  really 
beautiful,  by  Mozart ;  but  all  music  becomes  nearly  alike 
by  the  manner  in  which  they  sing  it,  except  just  the  two 
or  three  airs  given  by  Lays.  '  The  Mysteres  d'Isis '  is  re- 
markable, even  here,  for  its  decorations  and  coup  de  theatre. 
A  view  of  Tartarus  upon  one  side  of  the  stage,  and  the 
Elysian  Fields  upon  the  other,  showed  in  succession  to  the 
hero;  admirable  tableaux.  The  last  scene,  of  a  vast 
palace  (I  know  not  where)  where  the  hero  (I  know  not 
who)  is  rewarded  with  the  hand  of  his  mistress,  very 
good,  but  not  sufficiently  lighted.  This,  I  understand, 
always  happens  after  the  first  three  or  four  representa- 
tions of  a  new  piece ;  they  economise  upon  the  lights  and 
so  spoil  a  part  of  the  effect. 

After  the  opera,  went  to  M.  le  Comte   de  Crillons, 

*  Pierre  Simon  La  Place,  the  celebrated  mathematician  and  astronomer, 
born  1749,  was  son  of  a  farmer  in  Normandy.  D'Alembert  procured  for 
him  a  chair  of  mathematics  at  the  Military  School  in  Paris.  In  1709 
he  was  made  Minister  of  the  Interior  by  Buonaparte,  afterwards  removed 
to  the  Presidency  of  the  Conservative  Senate.  In  1814  he  voted  for  the 
deposition  of  Napoleon.  He  was  created  a  count  by  the  Emperor,  and  a 
marquis  by  Louis  XVIII.  He  died  in  March  1827.  He  was  the  author  of 
a  long  list  of  works  on  mathematics,  astronomy,  &c.— Rose's  Biog.  Diet. 

t  The  author  of  several  works  on  subjects  of  natural  philosophy  and 
medicine. 


168  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

with  whom  we  had  dined  at  Madame  de  Castellane's. 
Madame  de  Crillon  gave  a  little  ball,  or,  as  it  was  called, 
a  souper  dansant,  to  which  Madame  de  Coigny  was  told 
to  ask  us.  I  sent  in  my  name  from  the  antechamber  to 
Madame  de  Coigny,  who  presented  me  to  Madame  de 
Crillon,  a  civil  woman  of  about  fifty,  who  it  seems  had 
a  considerable  fortune  aux  isles.  The  party  was  very 
select,  some  of  the  best  danseuses  of  the  ancien  regime. 
The  company,  consisting  of  about  seventy  or  eighty 
people,  were  of  that  party.  Mdlle.  de  Coigny's  dancing, 
much  as  I  had  heard  of  it,  did  not  disappoint  me ;  it  is  as 
excellent  as  Madame  Hamelin's.  The  dress,  too,  of  these 
people  was  as  simple  as  the  others  were  recherche — plain 
chemises  of  muslin,  short  for  the  dancers,  with  their  hair 
coiffe  en  cheveux,  with  a  bunch  of  flowers,  was  the  general 
costume,  and  no  bosom  more  displayed  than  it  would 
have  been  in  England.  There  was  an  excellent  supper 
served  in  a  fine  salle  a  manger,  at  one  o'clock,  with  room 
for  every  one  to  sit  down.  M.  de  Crillon  is  the  youngest 
son  of  the  Due  de  Crillon,  who  commanded  against 
Gibraltar.  By  prudence  and  by  remaining  at  his  post,  he 
has  got  through  the  Eevolution  less  shaken  by  the  general 
convulsion  than  almost  anybody  else  that  can  be  quoted. 
He  inhabits  the  same  house  (one  of  the  noble  ones  in  the 
Place  de  Louis  XV.),  is  served  even  by  the  same  servants, 
and  in  short,  except  by  taxes  and  the  loss  of  seigneurial 
rights,  &c.,  is  much  where  he  was.  I  had  remarked  him 
at  Madame  de  Castellane's  dinner  as  a  particularly  gentle- 
manlike man. 

Thursday,  April  ~Lst. — In  the  morning  went  with  Mrs. 
Cosway  to  be  presented  to  Buonaparte's  mother.  On 
arriving  at  her  house  in  the  Chausse  d'Autin,  I  im- 
mediately recognised  it  to  be  that  which  belonged  to  the 
family  of  Montfermeil,  of  whom  we  saw  so  much  when 
we  were  for  the  first  time  at  Paris.  Of  them  I  can  learn 
nothing  but  that  they  emigrated,  and  my  informer  said 


1302]  VISIT  TO  BUONAPARTE'S  MOTHER.  169 

he  believed  M.  de  Montfermeil  had  died  in  Germany, 
but  he  seemed  to  know  little  of  the  matter.  The  house 
suffered  much  during  '  le  temps  de  la  terreur '  (as  it  is 
always  called).  It  was  a  maison  darrestation^  and  has 
since  been  sold  three  or  four  times  over,  and  a  great  part 
of  the  beautiful  garden  turned  into  a  potager,  and  the 
rest  badly  laid  out  a  VAnglaise.  The  house  for  its  present 
possessor  has  been  newly  painted  and  furnished  mag- 
nificently. The  beautiful  salle  a  manger  en  coupole  is 
painted  as  if  incrusted  with  porphyry  and  other  marbles, 
which  they  imitate  now  at  Paris  in  the  greatest  perfection. 
In  the  salon,  chairs  of  crimson  velvet  laced  with  gold  and 
crimson  lustring,  curtains  with  gold  open  fringes.  The 
room  in  which  she  received  us  was  lined  with  Italian 
pictures  and  furnished  with  purple-striped  satin  with  deep 
gold-coloured  fringes.  Madame  Buonaparte  walked  with 
us  over  the  whole  apartment,  all  furnished  in  the  same 
style,  all  covered  with  magnificent  carpets,  and  all  full  of 
fine  candelabra,  &c.  She  herself  is  a  woman  turned  fifty, 
with  large  dark  eyes,  an  intelligent  mild  countenance,  and 
great  remains  of  having  been  very  handsome.  She  has  a 
civil  quiet  manner,  but  no  mark  of  particular  cleverness 
either  in  her  conversation  or  in  her  manner.  She  is  said 
to  be  in  all  the  heights  of  Swedenborgism,  or  at  least 
what  used  to  be  called  quietism  here ;  and  I  should  fancy 
it  was  true  by  her  partiality  for  our  introductress,  but  I 
hardly  see  that  she  has  influence  or  interest  with  any- 
body. Her  son,  when  she  is  ill,  comes  to  see  her,  has 
lodged  her  well,  takes  good  care  of  her,  and  I  fancy  has 
little  more  to  do  with  her.  All  the  family  of  Buonaparte, 
however,  live  very  much  together,  and  as  there  are  five 
brothers  and  three  sisters,  they  constitute  no  small 
society.  She  endeavours,  I  believe,  to  protect  the  quon- 
dam convents  of  women  and  their  attendant  priests  in 
the  conquered  countries;  how  far  she  succeeds  I  know 
not. 


170  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

Dined  at  Madame  de  Steel's  with  twenty  people.  Gene- 
ral and  Madame  Marinont,  Madame  Eecamier,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Neckar,  Saussure,  Lord  Archibald  Hamilton,  Comte 
Marcoff  (the  Eussian  Minister),  Benjamin  Constant,  M. 
de  Chauvelin,  Lord  Henry  Petty,  Le  Marquis  Lacchesini, 
Comte  Louis  de  Narbonne,*  General  Dessolles, f  Mr.  Giran- 
din  (now  President  of  the  Tribunal,  son  of  the  proprietor 
of  Hormononville),and  two  other  men  whose  names  I  don't 
know.  Luckily  I  got  seated  next  Comte  Louis  de  Nar- 
bonne,  who  is  uncommonly  sensible  and  pleasant  in  con- 
versation ;  on  my  other  hand  was  General  Dessolles,  who 
was  at  the  head  of  Moreau's  etat-major,  and  wrote  the 
account  of  the  battle  of  Hohenlinden,  supposed  here  to 
be  the  best  military  despatch  that  ever  was  penned.  He 

*  Count  Louis  de  Narbonne,  Minister  of  War  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI., 
was  born  in  the  Duchy  of  Parma,  1755.  His  mother  was  dame  d'honneur 
to  the  Duchess  of  Parma  (daughter  to  Louis  XV.),  and  his  father  first 
gentilhomme  de  la  chambre.  After  the  death  of  the  duchess,  he  was 
brought  up  at  court,  where  his  mother  was  dame  d'honneur  to  Madame 
Victoire.  Though  attached  by  duty  and  gratitude  to  the  house  of  Bour- 
bon, he  shared  in  many  of  the  more  liberal  opinions  of  the  revolutionary 
party.  He  assisted  the  King's  aunts  in  leaving  France  for  Rome  in  1791. 
He  emigrated  to  England  in  1792,  and  was  settled  with  Madame  de  Stael 
and  her  party  at  Juniper  Hall,  Surrey.  He  accepted  employment  under 
Buonaparte,  and  was  created  a  lieutenant-general.  He  accompanied  the 
French  army  to  Moscow,  and  died  in  the  retreat,  at  Torgau,  1813.  Miss 
Burney  gives  a  more  romantic  and  scandalous  account  of  the  parentage  of 
Count  Louis  de  Narbonne.  (See  Madame  D'Arblay's  Journal.) 

t  Marquis  Jeyan  Jos.  P.  Aug.  Dessolles,  born  1767.  Accompanied  Bona- 
parte in  his  Italian  campaign,  defeated  the  Austrians  in  the  Valteline,  and 
was  engaged  in  military  service  till  the  peace  of  Luneville,  and  was  then 
named  '  commandant  en  chef,  provisoire  de  l'Arme"e  du  Hanovre.'  He  was 
replaced  by  Bernadotte,  and  sent,  in  1808,  to  Spain.  He  accompanied 
Prince  Eugene  in  the  Russian  expedition,  but  his  health  obliged  him  to 
return.  In  1814  the  Provisional  Government  appointed  him  to  the  com- 
mand of  .the  f  Garde  Nationale,'  at  Paris,  and  he  declared  in  favour  of  the 
Bourbons.  In  1815  he  appealed  to  the  Garde  Nationale  to  stop  the  progress 
of  Napoleon,  and  accompanied  Louis  XVIH.  After  the  battle  of  Waterloo 
resumed  his  command  of  the  Garde  Nationale,  but  disapproving  of  the 
conduct  of  those  in  power,  he  resigned.  In  the  Chambre  des  Pairs  he 
continually  raised  his  voice  against  the  infringements  of  the  '  Charte/  and 
was  one  of  the  firmest  supporters  of  public  liberty. 


1802]  VISIT  TO   MADAME   BUONAPARTE.  171 

has  a  niild  quiet  countenance  and  manner.  The  little 
conversation  I  had  with  him  was  on  the  subject  of  fine 
climates,  for  which  we  were  both  equal  enthusiasts. 
Switzerland,  by  accident,  was  touched  upon ;  he  regretted 
what  had  been  done  there,  believed  it  to  have  been  the 
cause  of  much  evil  to  the  French.  We  left  Madame  de 
Steel's  early,  and  felt  ourselves  so  thoroughly  fatigued 
with  the  veilles  of  the  night  before,  that  we  indulged  our- 
selves in  staying  quietly  at  home. 

Friday,  2nd. — This  was  the  day  that  our  friend  the 
Swiss  tailor  assured  us  that  Madame  Buonaparte  was,  by 
her  own  appointment,  to  receive  us  at  his  recommenda- 
tion, as  two  ladies  who  had  come  from  England  particu- 
larly desirous  to  see  the  Grand  Consul,  and  to  make  her  ac- 
quaintance. We  were  to  have  gone  at  mid-day,  but  as  they 
only  returned  from  Mal-Maison  at  twelve  o'clock  the  night 
before,  our  tailor  brought  us  word  that  at  three  o'clock  she 
would  see  us.  I  own  I  doubted  it  to  the  last  moment, — 
however,  at  three  o'clock  we  went  to  the  Tuileries,  and, 
after  some  enquiries  for  our  tailor,  we  were  shown  into 
one  of  the  salons  we  had  before  seen.  Here  we  waited 
for  about  ten  minutes,  examining  the  picture  of  the  '  Bat- 
tle of  Marengo,'  which  still  remained  in  the  room,  while 
several  people  (four  or  five  ladies)  were  ushered  through 
it :  at  last  our  tailor  came,  hoping  we  did  not  mind  a 
little  detour,  and  then  led  us  through  a  passage  at  the 
back  of  the  apartment  to  the  door  of  the  little  waiting- 
room  between  the  dressing-room  of  Madame  Buonaparte 
and  the  little  red  chamber  beyond  it.  Here  we  found 
two  or  three  little  black  boys  in  waiting,  and  a  Mameluc 
(as  they  are  called),  that  is  to  say  an  Asiatic  black,  in  a 
sort  of  Turkish  dress,  keeping  the  door.  Our  tailor  con- 
ducted us  to  the  door  of  Madame  Buonaparte's  dressing- 
room,  where  she  met  us,  and  the  tailor  disappeared.  She 
crossed  the  room  to  the  chairs  that  were  ranged  along  the 
wall,  and,  sitting  down  first  herself,  begged  us  to  be  seated 


172  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso2 

also.  She  is  a  thin,  dark,  very  genteel-looking  woman, 
about  the  size,  and  not  unlike,  Lady  Elizabeth  Foster,  but 
with  a  more  sensible  and  less  minaudiere  countenance ;  in 
her  manners,  without  assuming  those  of  a  queen,  she 
unites  much  protection  and  dignity  with  much  civility. 
I  think  elle  se  tire  d  affaire  (and  it  is  no  easy  matter)  very 
cleverly.  We  talked  of  the  taste  of  her  apartment,  of 
Mal-Maison,  of  her  garden  there,  of  the  plants  she  was 
getting  from  England,  from  Lee  and  Kennedy's,  of  those 
she  wished  to  have,  &c.  She  asked  us  if  we  had  places 
for  the  parade ;  when  we  mentioned  those  we  had,  she 
said  they  were  not  good  ones  ;  that  she  would  place  us 
better,  and  then  rising  went  to  the  door,  and  calling  to 
Sandos,  said,  '  Vous  amenerez  ces  dames  le  jour  de  la  pa- 
rade, je  les  ferai  bien  placees ;'  upon  which  we  curtsied,  and 
with  many  thanks  took  our  leave.  Who  she  took  us  for — 
whether  the  tailor  had  ever  explained  who  Mrs.  D.  was — 
Heaven  knows !  But  it  is  certain  she  had  no  idea  of  Mrs. 
D.'s  talent,  or  at  least  did  not  take  the  least  notice  of  it, 
though  I  gave  her  a  fair  opportunity  by  asking  if  the 
little  bust  of  Buonaparte,  which  stood  upon  a  coin  in  the 
room,  was  like  ;  she  said  it  was  very  little  like,  but  with- 
out releveiny  the  subject  at  all.  In  short  she,  like  all  the 
rest  who  have  not  emigrated,  seem  to  have  totally  forgot- 
ten all  the  very  little  they  ever  knew  about  England  or 
English  people.  All  Buonaparte's  servants,  and  we  saw 
several  in  the  antechamber  and  on  the  staircase,  are  in  a 
livery — a  lightish  blue  coat,  waistcoat,  and  breeches,  with  a 
silver  lace  round  the  collar. 

Before  we  went  to  Madame  Buonaparte's,  we  had 
called  on  Madame  de  Beauvan  and  her  sister :  they  are 
two  particularly  amiable  people,  and  I  regret  not  seeing 
more  of  them.  I  received  a  long  visit  from  M.  Fregeville,* 
whom  we  knew  long  ago  at  Montpelier.  He  is  become  a 
general  de  division,  their  highest  military  grade  ;  was  at 

*  Charles,  afterwards  Marquis  de  Fregeville. 


1802]  VISITS.  173 

one  time  deputed  to  the  legislative  body ;  in  short  has,  as 
he  said  himself,  had  a  very  successful  career.  He  is  mar- 
ried again  and  has  one  child  living ;  he  has  purchased  a 
terre  in  Languedoc,  and  I  fancy  is  very  well  off  there. 

In  the  evening  went  to  the  Theatre  de  Montansier,  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  Palais  Eoyal.  This  theatre  is  almost 
entirely  filled  and  supported  by  the  files  of  the  Palais 
Eoyal  and  their  amateurs.  The  theatre  is  not  of  a  pretty 
coupe  ;  there  are  some  boxes,  grilles  or  not  grilles,  as  you 
please  to  make  them  :  by  taking  one  of  these  one  can  go 
to  this  theatre  just  as  well  as  to  any  of  the  others,  for 
there  is  no  noise,  no  squabbles,  no  indecorum,  either  on  or 
off  the  stage.  The  mauvaise  compagnie  here  (and  I  have 
now  been  twice  among  them)  are  quite  as  decently  be- 
haved, and  more  decently  dressed,  than  that  which  call 
themselves  la  bonne  compagnie.  At  this  theatre  they  give 
four  and  sometimes  five  little  pieces.  Those  we  saw  were, 
'  La  Guerite,'  '  La  Jolie  Parfumeuse,'  and  '  Cadet  Eoussel 
aux  Champs  Elysees.'  The  first  entirely  supported  by  the 
acting  of  Brunet,  the  hero  of  this  theatre  and  a  very  good 
actor  in  the  low  comic.  The  drollery  of  the  third 
depended  upon  slip-slop  speaking,  modes  of  pronuncia- 
tion, which  to  us  was  not  very  entertaining. 

From  the  theatre  we  came  home,  supped,  changed 
our  gowns,  and  between  eleven  and  twelve  went  to 
the  great  ball  given  by  M.  Demidoff,  a  young  Eussian, 
who  has  been  here  all  the  winter,  and  spending  more 
than  anybody.  He  is  lodged  at  the  Hotel  de  Mont- 
holon  on  the  Boulevard.  The  house  is  in  itself  much 
ornamented,  and  was  now  decorated  with  much  pink 
and  silver  drapery,  and  artificial  flowers  for  the  fete ; 
but  the  rooms  are  not  large,  nor  many  of  them,  so 
that  the  company  was  too  large  for  the  house.  The  first 
person  I  met  here  was  my  old  acquaintance  the  Due 
de  Eichelieu.  He  looks  much  better  than  when  I  saw 
him  in  England,  and  is  an  uncommonly  gentlemanlike 


174  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

man.  He  seemed  really  glad  to  see  me.  Indeed,  nothing 
can  be  more  striking  upon  all  occasions  than  the  manners 
of  the  old  and  new  world :  the  first  are  all  prevenances, 
attentions,  and  politeness ;  the  latter  seem  not  to  know  or 
totally  to  neglect  all  common  forms,  returning  visits,  &c. 
It  is  impossible  that  these  two  worlds  should  ever  amalga- 
mate in  society:  their  children  may.  Till  I  saw  them 
both  I  blamed  the  old  world ;  but  it  is  still  more  the  fault 
of  the  new.  All  the  jeunesse  de  Paris  were  there  of  the 
new  regime^  and  very  many  of  the  old ;  all  the  Foreign 
Ministers'  wives,  and  a  good  many  strangers.  Vestris, 
who  was  there,  danced  a  quadrille,  which  was  composed 
of  the  very  best  dancers  of  society ;  he  danced  with  Ma- 
dame Hamelin,  M.  de  Lafitte*  (the  supposed  best  dancer 
of  Paris),  with  Madame  Ferval;  the  other  two  ladies 

were  Mdlle.  Carlot  and  Madame .     Vestris's  figure 

was  curious  ;  his  coiffure  was  one  of  those  bustling,  frizzed 
and  powdered  heads  which  were  worn  about  twenty 
years  ago,  and  in  dancing  showers  of  powder  came  out  of 
it,  and  it  flapped  up  and  down  in  the  most  ridiculous 
manner.  M.  de  Lafitte  was  likewise  frizzed  and  pow- 
dered, while  the  other  two  men,  and  indeed  all  the  other 
men,  wore  crops.  This  took  much  from  that  sort  of 
similarity  of  dress  which  certainly  adds  to  the  effect  and 
beauty  of  a  dance.  The  women  were  in  general  well- 
dressed,  all  coiffees  en  cheveux  with  flowers,  and  all  the 
young  ones  dressed  in  white,  trimmed  with  bunches  of 
flowers.  In  the  antechamber  was  a  bouquetiere,  who 
gave  every  lady  as  she  entered  a  large  bouquet  of  beau- 

*  Jacques  Laffitte,  the  -well-known  banker  at  Paris,  was  born  1767;  he 
was  placed  in  Perre"gaux's  bank  in  1788 ;  in  1804  became  a  partner.  He 
was  distinguished  by  his  knowledge,  his  conduct,  and  his  principles  in  all 
matters  of  finance.  In  1814  he  was  appointed  governor  of  the  Bank  of 
France.  He  took  an  active  part  in  political  and  economical  questions  in  the 
Chamber  of  Deputies,  and  acquired  the  respect  of  all  parties.  He  was  well 
known  for  his  liberality  when  charitable  contributions  were  needed.  He 
died  in  1844. 


1802]  M.    DEMIDOFF.  175 

tiful  forced  flowers,  roses,  carnations,  &c.,  such  as  at  Paris 
at  this  season  could  not  cost  less  than  twelve  or  eighteen 
livres  a  piece.  These  bouquets  were  changed  as  often  as 
you  pleased.  The  liveries  of  this  Eussian  are  more  covered 
with  gold  lace  than  anyone  ever  saw  anywhere,  upon 
a  fond  of  dark  green  ;  and  there  were  besides  chasseurs 
and  coureurs,  and  jocki/M,  and  blacks,  and  little  boys 
habilles  a  la  Tartare,  but  all  equally  gallones  upon  scar- 
let and  black  ;  and  besides  all  this,  the  persons  who  served 
(out  of  livery)  were  all  in  brown  coats  with  a  gold  em- 
broidery, comically  like  that  of  the  tribunes  here :  yet,  with 
ah1  this  magnificence  of  servants,  they  were  not  properly 
ranged  and  placed,  and  did  not  make  the  effect  they 
ought.  The  supper  was  served  as  people  desired  it,  and 
in  any  room  where  it  was  called  for.  To  have  the  whole 
honour  of  this  ball,  Demidoff  received  himself,  and  did  not 
allow  his  wife  to  do  the  honours ;  but  people  just  gave 
their  tickets  at  the  door,  and  half  the  people  in  the  room 
I  am  convinced  he  did  not  know. 

Saturday,  3rd. — In  the  morning  took  a  walk  upon  the 
quais,  and  poked  into  a  number  of  brocanteur  shops.  In 
the  evening  went  to  Madame  Fouche's  assembly — very  few 
people — as  all  the  world  had  gone  to  Mole's  benefit.  We 
saw  there  Barbe  de  Marbois,*  the  one  of  the  Deportes  to 

*  Count  Francis  de  Barbe"  Marbois,  born  at  Metz,  1745,  where  his  father 
was  director  of  the  Mint.  He  began  life  as  tutor  to  the  family  of  M.  de 
Castries,  Minister  of  the  Marine,  was  afterwards  Consul-general  in  the 
United  States,  and  then  In  tend  ant  of  St.  Domingo.  He  returned  to  France 
in  1790,  in  1791  was  named  ambassador  to  the  German  Diet,  and  the  year 
after  to  Vienna.  In  1795  he  attacked  the  conduct  of  the  Directory;  and 
was  sentenced  to  transportation,  but  survived  the  influence  of  the  climate  of 
Guiana,  and  returned  to  France  after  the  18th  Brumaire,  became  a  coun- 
sellor of  state  in  1801,  director  of  the  Treasury,  and  finally  Minister.  As  a 
senator,  in  1814,  he  pronounced  the  fall  of  Napoleon,  and  he  received  from 
the  Bourbons  similar  situations  to  those  he  had  held  during  the  Republic 
and  the  Empire.  In  1815  Louis  XVHI.  made  him  Garde  des  Sceaux,  and 
he  swore  allegiance  to  Louis  Philippe  in  1830,  and  continued  in  office  till 
1834.  He  was  the  author  of  several  works,  and  died  in  the  year  1837,  aged 
ninety-two. 


176  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

Cayenne,  who  would  not  escape  with  the  others,  but  re- 
mained conformably  to  the  orders  of  his  country,  till 
recalled  by  Buonaparte.  He  is  now  Ministre  du  Tresor 
public.  He  is  a  tall  thin  man  of  past  fifty ;  not  hand- 
some, but  with  an  uncommonly  fine  head,  and  a  great  deal 
of  character  about  it ;  in  short,  he  is  the  only  man  that 
I  have  yet  seen  wearing  the  uniform  of  a  Ministre  dEtat 
who  had  the  look  of  a  gentleman.  Mine,  de  Stael,  who  one 
is  sure  to  find  talking  or  endeavouring  to  talk  to  the  most 
distinguished  man  in  company,  brought  him  near  us,  and 
was  asking  him  questions  about  Guiana,  and  his  manner 
of  passing  his  time  there,  &c.  &c. ;  which,  without  affec- 
tation or  reluctance  on  his  part,  led  to  several  curious  and 
melancholy  particulars  of  their  life  there.  This  man  I 
find  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  honestest  men 
in  France,  and  of  having  no  equal  in  probity  among  his 
confreres  in  the  present  government. 

From  Madame  Fouche's  we  went  to  an  assembly  at 
the  Duchesse  de  Luines' — one  of  the  very  few  houses 
among  what  I  call  the  old  world  that  still  receive  com- 
pany, and  the  company  is  confined  exclusively  to  the 
old  world,  for  of  the  new  I  saw  only  Madame  Visconti 
there.  Four  rooms  were  open ;  in  the  first  a  table 
was  spread  with  refreshments,  at  which  sat  Madame 
de  Luines  and  most  of  the  ladies.  In  the  salon  they 
were  playing  at  beribi,  in  another  room  at  crepes,  and  in 
a  third  at  whist.  I  fancy  a  good  deal  of  play  goes  on  at  this 
house.  The  old  world  is  certainly  much  better-looking 
as  well  as  much  better  and  more  simply  dressed  than  the 
new  world.  There  were  at  this  assembly  a  number  of  very 
pretty  women.  Madame  de  Bouillie,  Madame  de  Chev- 
reuse  (the  belle  jille  of  the  house),  Madame  de  Montmorenci, 
and  many  others.  They  were  none  of  them  more  decoltee 
than  they  would  have  been  in  England — coiftees  en  cheveux 
with  flowers.  Madame  de  Beauvan  presented  us  there  ;  we 


1802]  M.    AND   MADAME   RECAMIER.  177 

remained  in  the  antechamber  till  she  led  us  up  to  Madame 
de  Luines. 

Sunday,  kth. — Many  of  the  shops  are  open  to  do  busi- 
ness here  of  a  Sunday,  though  certainly  more  are  quite 
shut  than  on  the  Decade. 

Went  to  the  Gallery,  which  the  more  one  sees  the  more 
it  astonishes  ;  and  it  would  be  very  long  before  I  should 
sufficiently  get  the  better  of  this  astonishment  to  be  able 
to  fix  my  mind  quietly  to  one  picture  or  one  set  of  pic- 
tures, and  really  enjoy  them  as  I  used  to  do  when  there 
were  not  above  half-a-dozen  of  the  most  exquisite  in  a 
collection. 

Dined  at  Mr.  Jackson's  :  the  women  were  Madame  de 
Brignole,  Madame  Eecteren,  a  Spaniard,  wife  to  a  Count 
Eecteren,  formerly  Minister  from  Holland  to  Spain,  a  lively- 
looking  woman,  and  Madame  Eecamier,*  a  rich  banker's 
wife  here,  who  has  the  finest  house  in  Paris  in  the  new 
style,  and  is  herself  the  decided  beauty  of  the  new  world, 
for  if  she  can  be  called  handsome,  it  is  entirely  a  figure  de 
fantasie.  She  has  a  clear  complexion,  is  young,  tall, 
dressed  with  much  affectation  of  singularity  in  the  ex- 
travagance of  the  mode ;  her  manners  are  doucereuses, 
thinking  much  of  herself  with  perfect  carelessness  about 
others  ;  for,  besides  being  a  beauty,  she  has  pretensions, 
I  understand,  to  bel-esprit  They  may  be  as  well-founded, 
and  yet  not  sufficient  to  burn  her  for  a  witch.  The  men 
of  our  dinner  were  nothing  remarkable.  General  Dessolles 
sat  by  me  at  table.  He  is  doux  and  facile  in  his  manners, 

*  Madame  Re"camier,  the  daughter  of  a  notary  at  Lyons,  named  Bernard, 
was  bora  1777.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  she  was  married  to  M.  Re"camier, 
forty-three  years  old.  Her  career  as  a  beauty,  exercising  a  large  amount  of 
social  influence,  has  been  recently  the  subject  of  more  than  one  biographical 
sketch.  At  the  age  of  seventy  she  is  said  to  have  received  an  offer 
of  marriage  from  M.  de  Chateaubriand,  then  near  eighty,  but  which  she  did 
not  accept.  She  died  of  the  cholera,  May  1849. 

M.    Re"camier   was  formerly  a  hatter  at  Lyons.      By  successful"  opera- 
tions in  the  course  of  the  Revolution,  he  has  acquired,  I  was  assured  very 
honourably,  a  large  fortune. — M.  B. 
VOL.  II.  N 


178  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

but  I  fancy  is  rather  a  good  general  than  un  homme 
d'esprit 

We  left  Mr.  Jackson's  before  nine — came  home — changed 

our  gowns,  and  went  with  Barrois  to  the  Hameau  de  Chan- 

tilly,  one  of  the  many  public  gardens  open  most  nights  for 

dancing,  &c.    This  was  formerly,  as  said  before,  the  hotel 

and  garden  of  the  Duchesse  de  Bourbon.     The  entrance 

is  by  a  large  court  from  the  Faubourg  St.  Honore.     The 

garden  goes  back  to  the  Champs  Elysees.     It  is  extremely 

well  laid  out  with  many  little  intricacies,  a  large  alley  that 

goes  round  it,  a  broad  terrace  by  the  house,  and  a  large , 

sloping   lawn  before  it.      All  this  is  well  lighted  with 

patent  lamps,  placed  in  large  square  glass  lanterns  hung 

across  the  walks  and  fixed  in  the  bosquets  and  under  the 

trees.      Nothing  can  be  prettier  than  both  the  general 

effect  and  the  details  of  this  garden.     Under  the  trees 

was   an   excellent   orchestra,  led  by  the  same   man   (a 

Creole)  who  conducted  the  music  at  M.  Dernidoff's,  and 

there  were,  I  know  not  how  many,  sets  of  French  country 

dances ;  we  saw  two  danced  by  different  sets  extremely 

well.      The  dancers  were  ouvrieres,  mantua-makers,  &c. 

&c.,  orjittes,  mostly  the  latter  and  shopmen,  &c.  &c.     In 

the  intervals  of  the  dancing  they  spread  themselves  about 

the  garden,  where  at  every  step  are  placed  little  green 

tables  with  two  or  three  chairs,  and  every  here  and  there 

little  rooms  like  cottages  on  the  outside,  and  the  lower 

part  of  the  house  is  open.     All  the  gilding  and  painting 

upon  the  walls,  and  the  glasses  remain  just  as  they  were 

in  the  time  of  Madame  de  Bourbon ;  and  in  one  of  the 

rooms  are  still  the  fine  tapestry  fauteuils  that  originally 

belonged  to  the  house ;  we  were  struck  also  with  the 

locks  and  fastenings  to  the  doors  and  windows  being  much 

handsomer  than  usual,  and  found  that  the  arms  of  France 

were  carefully  obliterated  from  every  one  of  them.     All 

these  rooms  are  well  lighted,  and  full  of  little  tables  and 

chairs ;  and  here  refreshments  are  to  be  had,  with  prices 


1802]  VISIT   TO   THE    HAMEAU   DE   CHANTILLY.  179 

affixed  to  them  in  a  long  paper  called  la  carte.  But  this 
is  not  all.  The  entry  of  this  garden  is  24  sous,  of  which 
15  are  allowed  en  consomation,  as  it  is  called,  that  is, 
15  sous  worth  of  anything  you  please  in  food  or  in 
amusements  ;  three  country  dances  cost  5  sous  a-piece,  or 
three  turns  of  &jeu  de  bague  or  three  courses  upon  the 
little  lakey  on  which  there  are  about  a  dozen  little  boats, 
ready  for  anybody  who  pleases  to  paddle  about ;  in 
summer,  they  say,  they  are  never-  empty. 

A  large  salon  for  dancing  was  arranged  with  treillage 
paper,  treillage  columns  and  painted  flowers  and  trees 
with  the  perspective  of  a  garden  and  avenue  at  the  end, 
and  green  boxes  for  real  flowers  all  round  it,  and  a  recess 
painted  like  a  forest.  Not  the  least  remarkable  part  of 
this  evening  was  that  we  were  walking  about  at  ten  o'clock 
at  night  on  the  4th  of  April  and  sitting  in  the  open  air, 
without  feeling  cold,  with  the  green  buds  all  bursting  over 
our  heads  and  the  almond  trees  in  full  blow.:  the  warmth 
was  rather  that  of  the  end  of  May  than  the  beginning  of  April. 

Before  I  quit  this  place  I  must  again  take  notice  of  the 
extreme  decency  and  propriety  of  behaviour  which  reigned 
here,  as  in  all  the  meetings  of  the  lower  orders  where  I 
have  been.  This  was  a  garden  where  everybody  was  walk- 
ing about  in  pairs  or  in  parties,  and  everybody  seeming 
very  well  disposed  to  amuse  themselves,  but  one  never 
heard  an  improper  propos,  or  saw  anything  that  marked 
the  smallest  dereglement. 

While  looking  on  at  the  dancing  a  man  came  up  and 
very  civilly  asked  me  to  join — thanking  him  I  said,  that 
I  did  not  dance ;  he  made  me  a  bow  and  retired  as  civilly 
as  he  had  come  forward. 

Monday,  5fA, — At  last  I  have  seen  this  famous-  parade, 
which  all  the  Parisians  have  been  talking  of  for  a  month 
past.  I  was  not  disappointed  in  it,  because  my  great  ob- 
ject was  to  see  Buonaparte,  and  I  knew  beforehand  how 
little  one  could  possibly  see  of  him  upon  such  an  occasion, 

N  2 


180  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

although,  whenever  we  complained  of  not  having  seen 
him,  everybody  referred  us  to  the  parade,  as  if  that  was 
to  give  us  entire  satisfaction.  We  were  unfortunate  in 
weather ;  it  rained  hard  the  whole  time  he  was  on  horse- 
back. We  were  conducted  by  our  friend  the  tailor  to  a 
window  in  the  entresol  of  the  Tuileries  leoldng  into  the 
Court,  the  best  situation  possible,  as  it  is  above  the  lines  of 
infantry  and  not  much  above  the  level  of  a  man  on  horse- 
back. There  were  several  people  at  the  same  window  with 
ourselves ;  Madame  B.  herself,  and  a  party  of  people 
with  her,  occupied  other  windows  in  the  same  range  of 
rooms. 

Great  part  of  the  troops  marched  in  by  the  centre  door 
of  the  grille  which  now  divides  the  large  space  before 
the  Palace,  from  the  Place  de  Carousel  and  this  space, 
though  large,  is  small  for  a  review.  Buonaparte  mounted 
his  horse  (a  light-coloured  dun  with  a  white  mane  and  tail) 
before  one  o'clock,  at  the  great  centre  door  of  the  Palace 
accompanied  by  the  generals  of  the  different  divisions  of 
infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery  ;  they  then  rode  along  the 
lines,  so  that  Buonaparte  twice  passed  our  window,  once 
near  enough  to  see  what  one  can  see  of  a  'man  on  horse- 
back gently  trotting  by  with  his  head  much  enfonce  in 
his  hat.  I  saw  enough  to  convince  me  he  is  not  much 
like  his  busts.  But  all  I  saw  was  a  little  man,  remarkably 
well  on  horseback,  with  a  sallow  complexion,  a  highish 
nose,  a  very  serious  countenance,  and  cropped  hair.  He 
wore  the  dress  of  some  infantry  regiment,  blue  with  a 
plain  broad  white  lappel  and  a  plain  hat  with  the  very 
smallest  of  national  cockades  in  it.  After  riding  along 
all  the  four  lines,  he  and  his  attendant  generals  placed 
themselves  beyond  the  second  line,  exactly  opposite  our 
window,  while  all  the  troops — first  infantry,  then  cavalry, 
and  then  artillery — marched  before  him  with  their  music 
playing  and  colours  flying ;  none  of  the  officers  saluted 
but  their  colonel.  After  passing  Buonaparte  they  filed  off, 


1S02]  A   REVIEW.  181 

and  when  the  last  had  passed,  he  came  again  to  the  same 
door  of  the  Tuileries,  dismounted  and  disappeared.  This 
is  all  that  those  who  best  see  the  parade  can  see  of  the 
mover  of  the  whole  machine.  I  am  quite  unacquainted 
with  military  details,  and  therefore  shall  not  pretend 
to  give  any  opinion  about  the  troops  :  all  I  could  observe 
was  that  they  never  marched  in  straight  lines,  and  that 
their  muskets  were  carried  in  various  directions  ;  any  of 
our  colonels  of  militia  would  have  been  ashamed  of  their 
men  so  marching  before  the  king.  The  dress  too  of  these 
troops,  particularly  of  the  consular  guard,  of  which  I 
had  heard  much,  struck  me  as  much  less  smart  than  any 
of  our  regiments  of  dragoons  or  light  horse.  It  is  a  dark 
blue  coat  with  a  red  cape,  and  a  long  large  gold-coloured 
worsted  shoulder-knot,  part  of  which  is  always  tucked 
up  to  the  button-holes  in  front  of  the  coat.  Their  hats 
are  looped  up  with  the  same  coloured  worsted,  and  a  very 
high  plume  of  green  and  red,  or  blue  and  red,  or  red 
and  white,  like  those  they  have  lately  given  our  troops ; 
their  hair  en  queue.  The  consular  guard,  both  horse  and 
foot,  are  allowed  to  be  I  elite  of  the  armies  in  point  of  size 
and  appearance.  The  other  regiments  looked  very  small. 
The  regiment  of  hussars,  commanded  by  the  young  Beau- 
harnois,  was  the  next  best — the  dress  of  the  officers  is 
pretty,  and  the  trappings  of  their  horses,  all  of  peau  de 
tigre,  with  the  muffle  of  the  tiger  embroidered,  or  rather 
pldqu4,  upon  the  housing  that  covers  the  back  of  the 
horse,  had  a  very  pretty  effect ;  but  half-a-dozen  officers 
thus  accoutred  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  dress  of  the 
troops. 

Although  it  was  such  a  bad  day,  there  were  a  great 
many  spectators  in  the  Place  de  Carousel  looking  through 
the  grille,  and  at  all  the  windows  in  all  the  houses ;  but 
not  the  smallest  applause  or  shouting  or  notice  taken  when 
Buonaparte  was  riding  along  the  lines  quite  near  them, 
though  this  is  the  first  time  he  has  appeared  in  public 


182  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

since  the  peace.  It  was  raining  hard  as  we  waited  for  our 
carriage,  and  the  arcades  of  the  Tuileries  were  full  of  all 
sorts  of  people  ;  a  Hue  of  grenadiers  kept  a  passage  up 
the  staircase,  and  prevented  people  coming  in  ;  but  they 
struck  me  as  doing  their  duty  in  a  much  gentler  manner 
than  I  remember  by  the  Garde  Suisse  and  Franchise  doing 
formerly  upon  similar  occasions. 

In  the  evening  to  Madame  de  Stae'l.  It  was  a  sort  of 
concert.  When  we  arrived,  somebody  was  playing  on 
the  pianoforte,  and  the  servant  begged  we  would  wait  in 
the  outer  room  till  the  piece  was  over.  To  this  we  readily 
consented.  The  Prince  of  Orange  arriving  soon  after,  the 
same  injunction  was  put  upon  him,  and  we  laughingly 
remonstrated  against  keeping  the  Prince  of  Orange  in  the 
antechamber ;  but  the  servant  stuck  to  his  orders,  and  the 
Prince  remained  very  quietly  with  us,  and  others  who  fol- 
lowed till  the  piece  of  music  was  finished,  when  we  all 
entered  together.  Garat,*  a  public  singer,  allowed  to  be 
the  first  voice  in  Paris,  performed.  He  first  sang  an  Italian 
air  abominably,  with  the  most  violent  and  forced  expres- 
sion. He  has  a  good  and  flexible  voice,  and  seems  to 
understand  music,  but  Ills  taste  is  a  thorough  French  taste. 
The  Chevalier  de  la  Caineaf  was  there  too,  and  sang  better 
than  ever.  I  really  began  to  pity  poor  Garat,  although 
the  greatest  coxcomb  in  appearance  that  ever  was  be- 
held. But  one  need  never  pity  a  Frenchman  where  self- 
conceit  can  bring  him  off:  he  is  on  all  such,  occasions 
invulnerable.  At  last  they  sang  a  duet  together,  in  which 

*  There'were  two  singers  of  the  name  of  Garat — Pierre-Jean,  and  Joseph 
Dominique  Fabry — brothers.  It  was  probably  the  elder  brother  to  whom 
Miss  Berry  alludes,  as  he  appears  to  have  enjoyed  a  high  reputation  at 
Paris  as  a  concert-singer.  In  1795,  not  having  a  carte  de  surete,  he  was 
arrested  as  a  suspect.  He  amused  himself  by  singing,  till  the  commandant 
of  the  fort,  together  with  the  soldiers,  crowded  round  to  listen  to  him,  and 
like  another  Orpheus,  he  so  enchanted  his  audience  that  they  carried  him 
in  triumph  to  his  home. 

t  The  Chevalier  de  la  Cainea,  a  Neapolitan  nobleman,  afterwards  married 
to  Sophia,  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  Mill,  of  Mottisfont,  Hants. 


1802]  M.  DAVID'S  'KAPE  OF  THE  SABIXES.'  183 

Garat  did  not  spoil  the  effect  of  La  Cainea's  exquisite 
singing,  and  he  afterwards  gave  us  two  French  opera 
airs  with  much  taste.  The  company  consisted  more  of 
the  old  than  the  new  world.  Ice  and  cakes  were  carried 
about,  and  afterwards  punch  ;  no  supper. 

Tuesday r,  6/A. — Walked  about  upon  the  quais  to  a 
number  of  shops  ;  dined  at  home,  and  went  in  the  even- 
ing to  the  Theatre  de  Louvois :  the  pieces  were  '  Le  Pere 
Suppose,'  'LeVapoureur,' and  'Le Voyage  Interrompu.'  The 
second  was  most  tiresome — all  sentiment  and  nonsense; 
but  a  piece  a  sentiment  is  here  always  applauded,  parti- 
cularly where  a  child  is  brought  on  the  stage,  which  is  a 
means  of  interesting  to  which  of  late  they  for  ever  resort. 
The  children  (par  parenthese)  all  act  their  parts  admi- 
rably. The  'Voyage  Interrompu'  is  one  of  Picard's,  in 
which  he  himself  acts  a  chattering  notaire  to  perfection  : 
it  was  very  amusing  and  laughable. 

Wednesday,  7th. — Went  in  the  morning  to  meet  Mrs. 
Cosway  in  the  Gallery,  to  see  David's  picture  of  the  '  Eape 
of  the  Sabines ; '  but  it  happened  to  be  the  day  of  the  De- 
cade, on  which  it  is  shut  to  all  the  world,  to  be  swept  and 
cleaned — certainly  very  necessary  in  so  public  a  place. 
We  went  on  with  Barrois  to  see  David's  picture,  which 
is  exhibited,  for  his  own  profit,  at  one  shilling  and  six- 
pence a-piece.  Barrois  said  many  other  painters  in  Paris 
had  attempted  thus  exhibiting  their  works,  but  nobody 
had  found  it  worth  their  while  but  David ;  and  I  dare  say 
very  few  people  indeed  except  strangers  go  and  see  this 
picture.  It  is  in  a  room  by  itself,  and  a  glass  so  placed 
as  to  reflect  it.  It  is  worth  seeing,  as  a  picture  in  which 
the  artist  has  done  his  utmost,  and  that  utmost  is  some- 
thing considerable.  It  is  well  drawn,  and,  generally 
speaking,  well  composed  ;  the  details  well  executed  ;  the 
colouring  of  the  two  principal  male  figures  too  good — 
I  mean  out  of  harmony  with  the  rest  Of  mellowness  it 
has  none :  it  gave  me  the  idea  of  a  finely-coloured  bas- 


184  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

relievo  more  than  of  a  picture.  The  old  French  school 
rises  greatly  indeed,  placed  as  it  now  is  in  the  Gallery, 
not  only  by  comparing  it  with  other  modern  schools,  but 
still  more  by  the  modern  French. 

Went  afterwards  to  the  great  Bibliotheque  du  Eoi, 
in  the  Eue  de  Eichelieu,  now  converted  into  the  Biblio- 
theque Rationale,  Eue  de  la  Loi,  and  enriched  with  all  the 
spoils  of  Italy.  We  had  a  letter  to  the  librarian,  but  as 
seeing  a  library  beyond  a  general  coup  d'oeil  is,  in  my 
opinion,  of  all  wastes  of  time  the  greatest,  we  did  not 
deliver  our  letter,  but  just  walked  through.  The  library 
is  open  every  day  to  the  public.  It  occupies  an  immense 
apartment  round  a  court.  The  books  are  in  wooden 
cases  with  wire  doors,  and  are  the  height  of  the  rooms. 
The  cases  and  their  arrangement  are  in  no  respect  altered 
from  what  they  were,  but  new  shelves  are  placed  between 
the  windows,  with  the  shelves  still  empty,  because  (it  is 
said)  the  carpenter  has  never  been  paid  for  making  them, 
and  won't  let  the  books  be  placed  till  he  is !  One 
immense  long  room  is  entirely  filled  with  tables,  each  for 
about  eight  or  ten  people,  and  nearly  every  seat  was 
occupied  by  persons  reading  or  transcribing  from  books. 

Dined  at  Perregaux's  with  twenty-six  people,  more  than 
half  of  which  were  English.  Among  the  French,  the 
only  person  of  marque  whom  I  had  not  before  seen  was 
the  Minister  of  the  Marine — General  (Admiral?)  Decres. 
He  is  the  same  who  defended  so  gallantly  the  'Guillaume 
Tell  '*  when  she  was  taken  by  us  coming  out  of  Malta.  He 
is  one  of  the  fattest,  vulgarest,  ugliest  black  men  I  ever 


*  March  30, 1800.  The  '  Guillaume  Tell/  Captain  Saulnier,  bearing  the 
flag  of  Rear  Admiral  Denis  Decres,  came  out  of  Valetta ;  she  was  chased 
and  attacked,  but  defended  herself  most  gallantly  against  the  'Foudroyant/ 
'  Lion/  and  '  Penelope/  though  at  last  compelled  to  yield  to  such  superior 
force.  'A  more  heroic  defence  than  that  of  the  "  Guillaume  Tell"  is  not 
to  be  found  among  the  records  of  naval  actions.  She  became,  under  the 
name  of  the  "  Malta,"  the  largest  two-decker  in  the  British  navy,  except  the 
"  Tonnant."  '—From  James'  Naval  History,  vol.  iii.  pp.  23-27,  edit.  1826. 


1802]  VISIT   TO    THE    TUILERIES.  185 

saw.  I  had  no  opportunity  of  judging  more  of  him  than 
his  appearance.  Madame Marmont,  to  keep  up  her  character 
of  fine-ladyism,  was  among  the  last  of  the  company  who 
arrived.  Five  was  the  hour  on  the  card ;  we  dined  about 
six.  Perregaux  still  inhabits  (as  before  the  Eevolution) 
the  famous  Pavilion  built  by  the  Prince  de  Soubise  for 
Mdlle.  Guimard  ;  *  it  has  been  new  carpeted  and  new 
furnished,  but  the  decorations  of  the  walls  are  the  same. 
In  the  evening  to  the  Theatre  de  la  Eue  Feydeau :  it  is  the 
only  one  in  Paris  which  is  the  same  as  I  remember  it,  and 
very  pretty  it  is.  The  piece  we  saw  was  '  Une  Folie,'  a 
French  comic  opera  ;  the  music  was  extremely  pretty  and 
well  sung. 

Thursday,  8th. — Went  at  three  o'clock  to  the  Tui- 
leries  to  be  presented  to  Madame  Buonaparte.  It  had 
been  announced  some  days  before  by  the  Prefet  du 
Palais,  M.  Du  Lugay,  to  the  Foreign  Ministers,  that  she 
would  on  this  day  receive  the  Foreign  Ministers'  wives, 
and  les  etrangeres  de  marque  qui  desiraient  lui  etre  pre- 
sentees. We  went  in  at  the  door  in  the  corner  of  the 
court  of  the  Tuileries  which  leads  to  Madame  Buona- 
parte's apartment,  and  were  ushered  into  the  yellow 
salon  which  I  have  before  described.  In  the  antechamber 
were  half-a-dozen  servants  in  Buonaparte's  livery.  The 
door  a  deux  battons  was  opened  for  every  person  by  a 
man  not  in  livery.  Here  we  found  already  about  half-a- 
dozen  ladies  and  as  many  gentlemen,  all  Foreign  Ministers, 
or  their  wives,  or  foreigners.  They  continued  arriving 
till  there  were  about  forty  women  and  about  as  many  men. 

There  was  a  range  of  chaises-a-dos  placed  all  round  the 
room,  upon  which  the  ladies  were  invited  to  sit  down  by 

*  Marie  Madeleine  Guimard,  celebrated  dancer,  born  1748.  She  was 
plain,  dark,  thin,  and  pitted  with  the  small-pox,  but  much  admired  for  her 
extraordinary  grace  in  dancing  and  pantomime.  She  became  the  maUresse 
en  titre  to  the  Mare"chal  Prince  de  Soubise.  In  the  Rue  de  la  Chausse'e 
d'Antin  a  house  was  built  for  her,  called  the  Temple  of  Terpsichore,  and  a 
theatre  holding  500  persons.  She  died  181G. 


186  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

Madame  de  Lucay.  We  all  placed  ourselves,  and 
the  men  remained  in  a  peloton  before  the  window 
at  the  bottom  of  the  room.  Buonaparte  himself  and 
Madame  B.  entered  at  the  same  time  from  the  door 
of  the  bedchamber.  The  moment  of  their  entry  I  did 
not  see,  happening  to  have  turned  my  head  another  way ; 
when  I  looked  round  again  she  was  already  in  conver- 
sation with  the  first  lady  on  her  right  hand,  and  the 
Consul,  in  his  undress  uniform  of  Consul,  between  the 
two  Prefets  du  Palais,  in  their  dress  uniforms  (scarlet  and 
silver),  in  conversation  with  the  Princess  Sta.  Croce.  He 
went  regularly  round,  speaking  to  every  lady  for  about 
two  or  three  minutes — M.  Lu9ay,  the  Prefet,  having  a 
sheet  of  paper  in  his  hand,  on  which  was  written  the 
name  and  nation  of  each  lady,  which  he  announced  to 
Buonaparte  as  he  approached  her.  We,  standing  at  the 
further  part  of  the  circle  from  whence  he  began,  had  the 
opportunity  of  observing  his  manner  and  address — it  is 
very  simple  and  unaffected.  He  asked  one  lady  if  she 
could  ride  on  horseback,  another  if  she  had  been  long 
in  France ;  to  the  Italians,  of  which  there  were  several, 
he  spoke  in  Italian,  saying  much  the  same  sort  of  royal 
nothings.  My  turn  happening  to  come  before  Mrs.  D.'s, 
he  asked  me  if  I  had  been  long  at  Paris.  '  Plus  de  trois 
semaines.'  '  Comment  trouvez  vous  1'Opera  ; '  or,  'Etes 
vous  contente  de  1'Opera  ? '  '  Oh !  bien  beau,  mais  nous 
avons  taut  vu  1'Opera.'  He  seemed  to  feel  by  my  answer 
that  he  might  have  addressed  us  better ;  but  totally 
ignorant  of  who  either  of  us  was,  he  knew  not  how  to 
change  the  subject,  and  continued  it  with  Mrs.  Darner, 
by  asking :  '  Si  nous  avions  d'aussi  bons  danseurs  en 
Angleterre  ? '  '  Oh  non,  nous  en  faisons  venir  d'ici.' 
'  Cependant  vous  avez  une  bien  belle  voix,  c'est  Madame 
Billington,*  je  1'ai  entendu  en  Italic.'  '  Oui,  assurement, 

*  Mrs.  Billington  was  the  daughter  of  a  German  of  the  name  of  Weich- 
salj  married  to  James  Billington,  of  Drury  Lane,  to  whom  her  father  had 


1802]  INTEEVIEW  WITH   THE   FIRST  CONSUL.  187 

elle  a  une  tres  belle  voix,  et  c'est  une  Anglaise.'  '  Oui, 
c'est  une  Anglaise,  mais  elle  a  epouse  un  Francais  et 
etudie  en  Italic,  de  maniere  qu'elle  appartient  aux  trois 
nations.' 

And  so  he  passed  on  to  the  next  person,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  a  Eussian,  and  repeated  the  same  royal 
enquiry,  si  elle  montait  a  cheval — which  put  me  laugh- 
ably in  mind  of  the  '  Do  you  get  out  ? '  of  St.  James's. 
One  could  not  but  regret  in  every  way  that  Mrs.  Darner's 
talents  had  never  reached  his  ears,  nor  the  principal 
object  of  our  journey  to  Paris,  or  he  would  certainly,  had 
it  only  been  pour  change  de  these,  have  addressed  us 
upon  some  other  subject,  of  which  many  might  have  im- 
mediately offered  themselves,  and  have  reserved  the 
opera  for  younger  women.* 

While  he  was  thus  going  round  the  circle,  Madame 
Buonaparte  followed  him,  leaving  always  a  distance  of 
two  or  three  persons  in  the  circle  between  them.  She  in 
her  turn  spoke  to  everybody,  but  had  no  attendant  upon 
her,  nobody  to  tell  her  who  anybody  was,  so  that  the 


partly  confided  her  musical  education.  She  came  out  at  DubBn,  and  in 
London,  and  afterwards  at  Paris,  where  she  had  lessons  from  Sacchini. 
Her  singing  was  much  admired  in  Italy.  In  1799,  her  husband  having 
died,  she  married  M.  Felessart,  a  Frenchman.  She  reappeared  at  Covent 
Garden  in  1801 ;  died  1818. 

*  The  object  of  Mrs.  Darner's  visit  appears  to  have  been  to  offer  the  First 
Consul  a  bust  of  Mr.  Fox,  but  through  whom  the  offer  was  made  does  not 
transpire.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  neither  the  First  Consul  nor  Madame 
Buonaparte  could  have  been  aware  of  Mrs.  Darner's  intentions  before  this 
reception;  at  any  rate,  this  bust  was  more  graciously  acknowledged  when 
received  years  after. 

The  following  account,  which  appears  in  a  work  entitled  '  Queens  of 
Society,'  by  no  means  accords  with  Miss  Berry's  simple  narrative  of  all  that 
really  passed  during  Mrs.  Darner's  interview  with  the  First  Consul.  'After 
the  Peace  of  Amiens,  Mrs.  Darner  set  out  to  Paris,  and  wag  presented  to 
the  great  man,  who  charmed  Jter  with  his  conversation.  She  was  known  to 
be  a  friend  and  warm  supporter  of  Charles  Fox,  and  the  First  Consul 
expressed  his  anxiety  to  have  from  her  hand  a  bust  of  the  "  Man  of  the 
People."  ' — The  Queens  of  Society,  by  Grace  and  Philip  Wharton,  vol.  ii. 
p.  203. 


188  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

presentation  was  in  fact  one  in  form  to  Buonaparte  and 
none  at  all  to  her,  only  that  he  received  and  had  the 
ladies  presented  to  him  in  her  apartment. 

After  he  had  thus  gone  round  to  every  woman,  he 
came  to  the  group  of  men,  spoke  par-ei  et  par-la,  to 
about  six  or  seven  of  them,  and  then  slipped  out  by  the 
same  door  at  which  he  entered.  Madame  Buonaparte 
in  the  meantime  had  made  her  round,  and  had  stopped 
at  the  fauteuil  by  the  side  of  the  fire.  As  soon  as  Buona- 
parte was  gone  she  sat  down,  and  invited  us  to  do  so  like- 
wise ;  she  spoke  two  or  three  words  across  the  room  to 
two  or  three  ladies,  among  others  to  Lady  Caher,  *  and 
was  surprised  at  her  going  away  so  soon,  and  hoped  she 
would  have  stayed  till  autumn.  We  observed  this,  as  it 
seemed  as  if  she  wished  it  publicly  to  appear  that  she  had 
no  particular  intimacy  with  Lady  Caher,  which  by  their 
having  met  at  Plombieres  last  summer  had  been  sup- 
posed. She  then  spoke  to  two  or  three  of  the  men 
nearest  her,  and  amongst  others  to  the  Hereditary  Prince 
of  Orange,  but  without  rising  or  making  any  difference 
in  her  address  to  him.  After  ten  minutes  of  this  circle 
she  rose,  bowed  a  la  Francaise  to  all  the  company,  and 
went  out  at  the  same  door  as  Buonaparte  had  done,  into 
her  own  bedchamber.  We  remained  talking  to  one 
another  for  ten  minutes  more,  and  then  marched  off  as 
fast  as  we  could. 

Madame  Buonaparte  struck  us  both  still  more  like 
Lady  E.  F.,  en  representation  than  even  she  had  done 
before  in  private  :  but  did  not  gain  as  much  by  being 
more  dressed,  as  I  expected.  She  wore,  by  way  of  being 
in  a  smart  demi-parure,  a  pink  slight  silk  gown,  with  a 
pink  velvet  round  spot  upon  it,  a  small  white  silk  or 
satin  hat,  with  three  small  white  feathers,  tied  under  the 
chin  ;  a  handkerchief,  and  no  fan,  in  her  hand ;  in  short, 

*  Daughter  of  James  St.  John  Jeffreys ;  married  to  Lord  Caher  (after- 
wards created  Earl  of  Glengall)  in  1793.  Lord  Glengall  died  in  1819. 


1802]  PERSONAL  APPEARANCE  OF  THE  FIRST  CONSUL.    189 

a  decided  half-dress  ;  while  we  were  all  as  much  dressed 
as  the  present  fashions  (without  any  decided  robe  de  cour) 
admits  of.  Buonaparte  himself,  as  I  have  already  said, 
was  in  his  undress  consular  uniform,  but  with  silk  stock- 
ings and  small  buckles.  His  hair  is  very  dark,  and 
cropped  much  shorter  than  it  appears  on  any  of  his  busts, 
and  it  does  not  lay  well  or  smoothly  upon  his  head.  He, 
by  no  means  struck  me  as  so  little  as  I  had  heard  him 
represented,  and  as,  indeed,  he  appeared  on  horseback. 
His  shoulders  are  broad,  which  gives  his  figure  impor- 
tance. His  complexion,  though  pale  and  yellow,  has  not 
the  appearance  of  ill  health.  His  teeth  are  good,  and  his 
mouth,  when  speaking,  as  I  saw  him  in  good  humour,  has 
a  remarkable  and  uncommon  expression  of  sweetness. 
Indeed,  his  whole  countenance,  as  I  saw  him  in  this  circle, 
was  more  that  of  complacence  and  quiet  intelligence  than 
of  any  decided  penetration  and  strong  expression  what- 
soever. The  Man  of  the  Parade  and  the  Man  of  the  Circle 
has  left  a  totally  different  impression  on  my  mind,  and  I 
can  hardly  make  the  two  countenances  (one  of  which  I 
saw  so  imperfectly)  belong  to  the  same  person.  His  eyes 
are  light  grey,  and  he  looks  full  in  the  face  of  the  person 
to  whom  he  speaks.  To  me  always  a  good  sign.  Yet, 
after  all  I  have  said  of  the  sweetness  of  his  countenance,  I 
can  readily  believe  what  is  said  that  it  is  terrible  and  fire- 
darting  when  angry,  or  greatly  moved  by  any  cause. 

In  the  evening  to  the  Theatre  de  la  Republique.  The 
pieces  were  '  Tancrede '  and  '  La  Reconciliation  malgre 
soi.'  Talma  was  Tancrede.*  He  acts  with  fire  and  just 
expression,  but  his  voice  is  rough,  hoarse,  and  very  dis- 
agreeable. His  countenance,  too,  is  against  him,  for  he 

*  Franqois  Joseph  Talma,  born  at  Paris  1766 ;  brought  up  in  England, 
where  his  father  practised  as  a  dentist;  returned  to  Paris,  and  made  his 
de"but  in  1797,  at  the  Theatre  Fran^ais,  in  the  character  of  Seide  in  Vol- 
taire's '  Mahomet.'  He  became  the  first  tragedian  of  his  time,  and  effected 
a  reform  in  the  costume  of  the  stage.  He  was  greatly  favoured  by  Buona- 
parte. He  married  Mdlle.  Vanhove,  a  distinguished  actress.  Died  in  1826. 


190  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

squints.  Were  he  better  endowed  by  nature,  I  think 
he  would  be  a  very  good  actor ;  as  it  is,  he  is  reckoned 
one  of  their  best.  A  debutante  (Mdlle.  le  Court)  per- 
formed Amenaide  very  badly  indeed.  Her  gestures  were 
so  singularly  awkward,  that  the  parterre  laughed.  When 
this  begins  at  Paris,  it  is  generally  followed  up  in  a  very 
painful  manner,  everything  being  taken  in  a  ludicrous 
light,  and  all  efforts  of  the  poor  unfortunate  actor  to  restore 
gravity  are  in  vain.  However,  this  was  not  quite  the 
case  on  this  occasion,  for  though  a  repetition  of  the  same 
awkwardness  occasioned  the  same  laugh,  it  was  each 
time  hushed  by  applause.  The  debutante  was  considered 
(as  she,  indeed,  deserved)  to  have  totally  failed.  When 
they  succeed  tolerably  they  are  always  called  for  after 
the  piece.  The  curtain  draws  up,  and  they  appear  to 
make  their  curtsey  to  the  audience,  and  receive  new 
applauses. 

Friday,  9#A. — In  the  morning  called  to  take  leave  of 
Madame  de  Castellane,  Madame  de  Goigny,  Madame  de 
Stael,  and  Madame  de  Beauvan.  We  found  most  of  them 
at  home,  and  all  very  curious  to  hear  the  details  of  our 
presentation  at  the  Tuileries,  which  we  recounted  from 
beginning  to  end  two  or  three  times  in  the  course  of  this 
day.  In  the  evening  visited  Madame  d'Haussenville  (a 
daughter  of  M.  de  Guerchy,*  formerly  ambassador  in 
England)  and  Madame  de  Brignole. 

Saturday,  Wth. — In  the  morning  to  Mdlle.  Martin's 
to  buy  rouge.  I  thought,  from  having  heard  all  my 
life  of  the  fame  of  Mdlle.  Martin's  rouge,  that  her  receipt 
must  by  this  time  have  descended  to  her  great-grand- 

«/ 

children.  Mais  point  du  tout  The  original  Mdlle.  Martin 
herself,  now  a  large  fat  old  woman,  with  a  very  intelligent 
countenance,  served  us.  She  was  dressed  in  a  large  bon- 
net, long  powdered  hair,  the  costume  of  twenty  years  ago. 

*  Count  de  Guerchy,  frequently  mentioned  in  Horace  Walpole's  letters. 
Came  to  London  October  1763. 


1802]  MADAME   KECAMIEK'S   HOUSE.  191 

Afterwards  called  at  Madame  de  Fleury's  and  at  Madame 
Le  Conteulx,  whom  we  found  in  one  of  those  charming 
houses  in  the  Faubourg  St.  Honore,  where  the  gardens  go 
down  to  the  Champs  Elysees,  and  the  windows  down  to 
the  ground  opening  into  these  gardens.  Went  to  the 
house  of  Madame  Eecamier.  We  were  resolved  not  to 
leave  Paris  without  seeing  what  is  called  the  most  elegant 
house  in  it,  fitted  up  in  the  new  style.  It  is  that  formerly 
inhabited  by  Necker  in  the  Chaussee  d'Antin,  close  to 
Perregaux's.  There  are  no  large  rooms,  nor  a  great 
many  of  them  ;  but  it  is  certainly  fitted  up  with  all  the 
recherche  and  expense  possible  in  what  is  now  called  le 
gout  antique.  But  the  candelabra,  pendules,  &c.,  though 
exquisitely  finished,  are  in  that  sort  of  minute  frittered 
style  which  I  think  so  much  less  noble  than  that  of  fifteen 
or  twenty  years  ago.  All  the  chairs  are  mahogany 
enriched  with  ormolu,  and  covered  either  with  cloth  or 
silk,  those  in  the  salon  trimmed  with  flat  gold  lace  in 
good  taste.  Her  bed  is  reckoned  the  most  beautiful  in 
Paris — it,  too,  is  of  mahogany  enriched  with  ormolu 
and  bronze,  and  raised  upon  two  steps  of  the  same  wood. 
Over  the  whole  bed  was  thrown  a  great  coverlid  or  veil  of 
fine  plain  muslin,  with  rows  of  narrow  gold  lace  at  each 
end,  and  the  muslin  embroidered  as  a  border.  The  cur- 
tains were  muslin,  trimmed  and  worked  like  the  coverlid 
suspended  from  a  sort  of  carved  couronne  de  roses,  and 
tucked  up  in  drapery  upon  the  wall,  against  which  the  bed 
stood.  At  the  foot  of  the  bed  stood  a  fine  Grecian  lamp 
of  ormolu,  with  a  little  figure  of  the  same  metal  bending 
over  it ;  and  at  the  head  of  the  bed  .another  stand,  upon 
which  was  placed  a  large  ornamented  flower-pot,  contain- 
ing a  large  artificial  rose-tree,  the  branches  of  which  must 
nod  very  near  her  nose  in  bed.  Out  of  this  bedroom  is  a 
beautiful  little  salle  de  bain.  The  walls  inlaid  with  satin- 
wood  and  mahogany,  and  slight  arabesques  patterns  in 
black  upon  the  satin-wood.  The  bath  presents  itself  as  a 


192  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

sofa  in  recess,  covered  with  a  cushion  of  scarlet  cloth 
embroidered  and  laced  with  black.  Beyond  this  again 
is  a  very  little  boudoir  entirely  lined  with  quilted  pea- 
green  lustring,  drawn  altogether  in  a  bunch  in  the  middle 
of  the  ceiling. 

Sunday,  \\th. — Left  Paris  at  three.  When  we  had  got 
upon  the  Quai,  just  opposite  the  College  des  quatre 
Nations,  one  of  the  wheel  horses  stumbled  and  fell  from 
the  slipperiness  of  the  pavement,  and  threw  the  postilion. 
By  the  manner  in  which  he  lay  on  the  pavement,  it  was 
easy  to  perceive  that  he  was  more  stunned  by  previous 
drunkenness  than  by  his  fall.  A  crowd  in  an  instant 
gathered  round  him,  each  one  making  him  out  worse 
than  the  other ;  one  declaring  his  legs  were  broken,  and 
another  his  head,  and  everyone  advising  different  cures. 
He  was  presently  seated  upon  the  kerbstone  of  the  pave- 
ment, and  wanted  to  remount  his  horse  again,  which  we 
did  not  allow.  However,  the  delay  occasioned  by  this, 
and  going  slowly  over  the  pavement  for  the  rest  of  our 
trajet  through  Paris,  made  us  nearly  two  hours  getting 
to  St.  Denis.  It  was  dusk  by  the  time  we  arrived  at 
Chantilly.  Lord  and  Lady  Caher,  and  a  party  who  had 
left  Paris  with  them,  had  taken  possession  of  the  inn 
there ;  we  proceeded  therefore  to  Clermont.  The  weather 
had  entirely  changed  in  the  course  of  the  night ;  a  violent 
wind  came  on  due  north,  and  there  were  alternate  showers 
of  hail  and  sunshine. 

Monday,  12th. — An  iron  having  been  broken  at  Cler- 
mont, we  could  not  get  away  till  ten  o'clock,  and  by  the 
time  we  arrived  at  Amiens  at  five  o'clock,  I  was  so  ill  that 
we  remained  there  all  night. 

Tuesday,  ~L3th. — Left  Amiens ;  when  we  had  got  about 
a  mile  beyond  Pecquigny  we  found  that  the  iron  of  the 
carriage  had  not  been  properly  repaired  ;  were  obliged 
to  get  out  at  a  little  village  called  the  Chaussee  de  Pec- 
quigny. We  went  into  the  house  of  the  blacksmith  of 


1802]  ARRIVE   AT   CALAIS.  193 

the  village,  who  was  employed  in  examining  the  carriage. 
It  was  a  mere  thatched  cottage  in  as  inconsiderable  a  little 
village  of  a  few  thatched  houses  as  one  could  anywhere 
see,  and  yet  a  more  comfortable  peasant's  house  I  have 
nowhere  met  with.  It  was  clean  too  in  the  inside,  though 
the  good  woman  of  the  house  was  in  the  midst  of  her 
lessive.  They  had  plenty  of  plates  and  dishes  set  up 
above  a  dresser,  good  bacon  hanging  up  in  an  adjoin- 
ing bedroom,  and  behind  their  house  much  poultry, 
the  eggs  of  which  the  woman  said  they  lived  upon  and 
seldom  sold ;  they  had  also  a  bit  of  garden :  in  short,  I 
much  doubt  if  in  any  cottage  in  France,  ten  years  ago,  be- 
longing to  the  same  order  of  people,  one  could  have  spent 
three  hours  as  comfortably,  and  left  it  with  the  same  feel- 
ings we  did  that  of  the  blacksmith  at  the  Chaussee  de 
Pecquigny.  From  this  and  other  delays  we  did  not  get  to 
Montreuil  till  past  eleven,  and  then  found  all  the  best 
rooms  in  the  inn  occupied  by  the  Duchess  of  Cumberland* 
and  her  suite,  and  a  French  general  de  division  into  the 
bargain  ;  however,  they  took  us  in. 

Wednesday,  \kth. — Left  Montreuil ;  arrived  at  Calais  in 
about  ten  hours.  Found  Madame  de  Vaudreuil  lodged 
in  the  same  inn,  and  waiting  for  letters  from  Paris  to 
continue  her  route  thither. 

Thursday,  15^. — The  wind  so  contrary  that  Captain 
Blake,  whom  we  found  waiting  for  us,  could  not  sail. 
Called  upon  M.  Mengaud,  the  commissaire-general  de 
police,  to  enforce  the  letters  we  carried  him  from  Mr. 
Jackson  and  Mr.  Merry,  begging  to  be  allowed  to  return 
in  an  English  vessel,  which  he  agreed  to,  though  to  no- 
body else  would  he  grant  it. 

*  Anne,  eldest  daughter  of  Simon,  Earl  of  Carhampton,  and  widow  of 
Christopher  Horton,  Esq.,  of  Catten  in  Derbyshire,  married,  in  1771,  to 
Henry  Frederick,  Duke  of  Cumberland,  brother  to  George  III.  He  died 
1790. 

VOL.  II.  0 


194 


MISS    BERRY  S   JOURNAL. 


[1802 


Friday,,  16th. — Went  on  board  the  '  Swift ;'  sailed  from 
Calais  Pier  a  quarter  after  eleven  :  fine  day,  but  the  wind 
fell  almost  entirely.  At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  we 
were  within  five  miles  of  Dover  in  a  dead  calm ;  got  into 
a  Dover  boat,  were  rowed  into  the  harbour,  and  arrived 
at  the  York  Hotel  at  a  quarter  after  eight,  having  been  just 
nine  hours  on  our  passage.  Gave  a  passage  in  our  vessel 
to  Lord  and  Lady  Caher,  whom  Mengaud  would  not 
allow  to  have  another  English  vessel. 

Saturday,  llth. — Slept  at  Eochester. 

Sunday ',  18th. — Arrived  in  North  Audley  Street  at 
three  o'clock. 


A  month  after  Miss  Berry  returned  from  France,  she 
had  the  mortification  of  finding  that  the  play  which  had 
been  acted  in  private  with  such  flattering  success  the 
preceding  year  at  Strawberry  Hill,  did  not  receive  the 
sanction  of  the  public  voice.  It  was  brought  out  at 
Drury  Lane  with  a  cast  of  parts,  comprising  names  which 
must  greatly  have  conduced  to  its  success,  and  the  cause 
of  its  failure  cannot  be  attributed  to  the  want  of  ability 
on  the  part  of  the  performers. 


Damatis  Persona. 


Sir  Valentine  Vapour 

Sir  Dudley  Dorimant 

Mr.  Lovell 

Dr.  Syrop 

Music  Master 

Shopman 

La  Pierre 

John 

Servants 

Lady  Selina  Vapour 
Mrs.  Lovell 
Mrs.  Socket 
Miss  Racket 
Trimming 
Lappet 


Mr. 

Mr.  C.  KEMBLE. 

Mr.  BARRYMORE. 

Mr.  STJETT. 

Mr.  MADDOCKS. 

Mr.  EVANS. 

Mr.  WEURTZER. 

Mr.  CHIPPENDALE. 
f  Messrs.  GIBBONS, 
\  FISHER,  &  WEBB. 

Miss  Du  CAMP. 
Mrs.  YOUNG. 
Miss  POPE. 
Mrs.  JORDAN. 
Mrs.  HARLOWE. 
Miss  TIDSWELL. 


1802]  PROLOGUE    TO   'FASHIONABLE    FRIENDS.'  195 

The    Prologue*    was    written    by    William    Eobert 

*  HARD  is  the  chase  poor  authors  now  pursue, 
In  this  old  world,  to  hunt  out  something  new  ! 
Where  can  the  modern  poet  turn  to  find 
One  undiscover'd  treasure  of  the  mind, 
One  drop  untasted  yet  in  Learning's  spring, 
Or  one  unwearied  plume  in  Fancy's  wing  ? 
Our  grandsire  bards,  with  prodigal  expense, 
Squander'd  the  funds  of  genius,  wit,  and  sense ; 
Annuitants  of  fame,  they  took  no  care 
How  ill  their  beggar'd  successors  might  fare  : 
Each  thought  exhausted,  all  invention  drain'd, 
A  selfish  immortality  they  gain'd, 
And  left  no  spot  in  all  Apollo's  garden, 
No  farm  in  all  Parnassus,  worth  a  farthing  ! 
Some  keen  observers,  on  Dame  Nature's  face, 
The  crow-foot  marks  of  time  and  sickness  trace ; 
No  wonder,  then,  if  our  poetic  sires 
Felt  for  her  youthful  bloom  more  genuine  fires ; 
Nature  to  them  her  virgin  smiles  display'd. 

They  woo'd  a  spotless,  we  a  ruin'd  maid ! 
For  she  was  won,  if  chronicles  speak  truth, 

By  many  a  Grecian,  many  a  Unman  youth  ; 

But  still  the  lovely  libertine  retain'd 

Charms  yet  unview'd,  and  favours  yet  ungain'd ; 

For  one  immortal  boy !  to  him  alone, 

Her  beauties  and  her  failings  all  were  shown. 

Heedless  of  time,  or  place,  or  mode,  or  fashion, 

Disorderly  she  own'd  her  glorious  passion, 

What  time  all  rules  of  critic  prudery  brav'd. 

In  Avon's  hallow'd  stream  her  angel  form  she  lav'd ! 

Her  fading  graces  now  less  transport  move, 

We  feel  for  Nature  artificial  love, 

Though,  for  her  age,  the  dame  looks  passing  well, 

Six  thousand  years'  hard  living  still  must  tell ! 

E'en  for  the  satirist  few  themes  remain, 

Folly  herself  has  long  been  in  the  wane ; 

Folly,  though  here  immortal  still  she  dwells, 

In  Strulburg  palsy  shakes  her  rusted  bells ! 

Is  Folly  then  so  old  ? — Why,  let  me  see, 

About  what  time  of  life  may  Folly  be  ? 

Oh,  she  was  born,  by  nicest  calculation, 

One  moment  after  woman's  first  creation  ! 

This  night  our  unknown  author  will  produce 

Old  subjects  modernis'd  for  present  use; 

If  you  're  displeas'd,  be  cautious  how  you  show  it 

Perhaps  your  nearest  neighbour  is  the  poet ; 

But  if  you  're  pleas'd  and  anxious  to  befriend  us, 

I  Jke  Fashionable  Friends,  in  crowds  attend  us. 
61 


196  MISS  BERRY'S  COMEDY.  [1802 

Spencer,*  Esq.,  and  was  spoken  by  Mr.  C.  Kemble.     The 
Epilogue  f  was  written   by  the  Hon.  Wm.  Lamb,  and 

*  Son  of  Lord   Charles   Spencer,   translator  of    '  Leonora/   author  of 
1  Urania/  and  other  poems. 

f  SURE,  had  our  author,  whom  in  vain  we  seek, 

Compos'd  the  play,  you  just  have  seen,  last  week, 

He  would  not  now  have  sent  me  to  attend, 

In  Italy,  the  death-bed  of  my  friend ; 

To  throw  away  this  gay  auspicious  year, 

And  lose  the  prospect  which  is  opening  here. 

Is  this  a  time  for  me  abroad  to  roam  ? 
Now  Peace  will  send  so  many  lovers  home ; 
Sailors  victorious  still  on  every  sea 
O'er  every  foe,  who  yet  must  strike  to  me  ; 
And  captains,  cover'd  with  hard-earn'd  renown, 
From  Eastern  climates  beautifully  brown ; 
Peace,  which  in  every  face  throughout  the  isle 
Has  spread  a  heart-felt,  universal  smile, — 
Peace,  which  in  all  most  variously  excites 
New  views,  new  thoughts,  new  fancies,  new  delights. 
Some  think  on  pleasure,  some  alone  on  gain, 
On  price  of  stocks,  or  plenty  of  champagne — • 
Exports  and  imports  trading  men  engage, 
Cloth  for  new  marts,  new  dancers  for  the  stage — 
Forward  the  epicure  with  transport  looks 
To  a  fresh  troop  of  revolution  cooks, 
And  o'er  the  pie  exults,  whose  precious  store 
Has  been  denied  him  ten  sad  years  before ; 
While  the  gay  nymph,  who  lures  a  crowd  of  slaves, 
Prepares  her  charms,  resolv'd  to  cross  the  waves ; 
Besolv'd  the  beaux  of  Paris  to  invade, 
And  flirt  with  whisker'd  generals  of  brigade. 

Amidst  these  different  tastes,  may  I  advance 
The  grounds  on  which  I  vote  for  peace  with  France  ? 
Then — though  through  all  this  time  of  woe  and  fear, 
We  have  not  suffer'd  much  in  England  here, 
Yet  now,  I  own,  new  hopes  within  me  rise, 
Oft  times  more  great,  more  happy,  and  more  wise — 
Now  London  shall  appear  herself  again, 
Adorn'd  with  fresh  supplies  of  handsome  men, 
No  thought  of  business  now  shall  e'er  invade 
The  nightly  ball,  and  frequent  masquerade  ; 
Now  luxury  again  on  wealth  shall  thrive, 
And  pleasure  rule,  and  usury  revive. 
Exulting  fashion  hails  the  happy  league, 
Hence  love  of  cards,  and  leisure  for  intrigue ; 
Credit  and  curricles  and  dice  increase, 
Racing,  and  all  the  useful  arts  of  peace. 


1802]  PREFACE.  197 

spoken  by  Miss  Du  Camp.*  Miss  Berry's  own  account  of 
the  causes  of  condemnation  forms  the  preface  to  'Fashion- 
able Friends  '  in  the  last  edition  of  her  works. 

PKEFACE. 

'  This  comedy  was  acted  for  three  nights  in  May  1802,  and 
then  withdrawn.  In  addition  to  its  inherent  defects  of  wanting 
the  bustle  and  intricacies  of  a  popular  plot,  and  all  the  exag- 
gerations of  character  which  such  plots  often  make  necessary, 
it  was  believed  at  the  time  to  be  the  production  of  some  of  a 
certain  Pic-nic  Club  then  existing  much  addicted  to  theatrical 
amusements,  to  which  the  pit-filling  public  (ignorant  of  its 
harmless  dulness)  had  endowed  with  a  supposed  power  of  pro- 
pagating loose  principles  and  profligate  wit.  This  piece,  there- 
fore, emanating  as  they  believed,  from  such  a  focus  of  evil,  they 
indignantly  determined  to  stifle  in  its  birth,  and  came  to  the 
first  night  determined  to  damn  without  hearing  it.  The  real 
author,  living  in  the  midst  of  the  world  described  in  the  comedy, 
was  particularly  anxious  to  avoid  all  suspicions  of  authorship ; 
so  that  the  piece,  being  entirely  unprotected  by  its  natural  friends 
and  attacked  by  prejudiced  enemies,  must  have  possessed  much 
greater  merit  than  it  can  boast  to  have  secured  such  a  fair  hearing 
as  might  have  fairly  condemned  it.  The  abuse  which  the  news- 
papers of  the  day  lavished  upon  it,  made  the  Advertisement, 
which  is  here  prefixed  to  it,  necessary  to  its  first  publication.' 

The  Morning  Post  may  now  display  unfurl'd 
Four  columns  of  the  Fashionable  World, 
And  not  confin'd  to  tell  of  war's  renown, 
Spread  all  the  news  around  of  all  the  town : 
While  gay  Gazettes  the  polish 'd  Treasury  writes, 
Of  splendid  fashions,  not  of  vulgar  fights, 
Proud  to  record  the  tailor's  deeds  and  name, 
And  give  the  milliner  to  deathless  fame, 
Who  first  shall  force  proud  Gallia  to  confess 
Herself  inferior  in  the  arts  of  dress. 
Oh !  join  to  pray  my  hopes  may  not  be  vain, 
Commence,  gay  Peace,  a  long  and  joyous  reign, 
May  Europe's  nations,  by  my  counsels 'wise, 
Learn  e'en  thy  faults  to  cherish  and  to  prize, 
And  shunning  glory's  bright,  but  fatal  star, 
Prefer  thy  follies  to  the  woes  of  war ! 


Afterwards  Mrs.  C.  Kemble. 


198  MISS  BEKRY'S  COMEDY.  [1802 

A  dvertisement. 

'  This  comedy,  found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  Earl  of 
Orford,  and  remaining  unclaimed  in  the  hands  of  his  executors 
for  two  years,  was  brought  forward  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Kemble 
on  the  Theatre  Koyal,  Drury  Lane.  After  the  extraordinary 
abuse  that  bas  been  lavished  upon  it,  the  executors  considered 
it  as  a  duty  to  the  unknown  autbor  to  publish  it.' 

It  is  often  difficult  to  judge,  from  reading  only,  what  may 
be  the  effect  produced  by  any  dramatic  work  when  placed 
on  the  stage.  Miss  Berry's  explanation  of  the  condemnation 
of  her  play  may  be  correct,  and  it  may  have  owed  its  re- 
jection to  the  prejudices  entertained  by  the  public  against 
some  supposed  author,  for  it  is  certainly  not  deficient  in 
skilful  arrangement  of  dramatic  position,  in  stage  intrigue, 
or  in  pointed  and  epigrammatic  dialogue,  but,  on,  the 
other  hand,  it  must  be  confessed  that  no  such  play  would 
be  written  by  a  lady  of  the  present  day,  or  be  performed 
in  private  theatricals,  or  be  offered  to  the  public  as  the 
representation  of  fashionable  manners.  A  greater  proof 
of  the  happy  change  that  has  taken  place,  in  the  course 
of  the  last  sixty-three  years,  in  the  manners,  the  morals, 
and  the  refinement  of  the  higher  classes  could  not  well  be 
adduced.  The  plot,  the  characters,  and  the  dialogue  all 
turn  upon  the  most  undisguised  love  intrigues  of  married 
couples ;  and  though  the  author's  purity  of  intention  is  to 
be  seen  in  making  virtue  gain  some  triumph  over  vice,  and 
her  love  of  truth  is  to  be  traced  in  the  way  she  exposes,  in 
all  its  odiousness.  the  false  professions  of  a  hollow  friend- 
ship ;  though  there  is  no  intended  propagation  of  loose 
principles,  no  confusion  of  right  and  wrong  in  the  mind 
of  the  author,  yet  there  is  a  tone  of  easy  license  with 
which  criminal  attachments  are  treated,  little  credit- 
able to  the  taste  and .  morality  of  that  society  which  the 
author  professes  to  describe  from  personal  acquaintance, 
and  which  certainly  could  no  longer  be  accepted  as 


1802]  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  199 

a  representation  of  the  habits  and  manners  of  '  Fashion- 
able Friends,'  and  which  would  not  now  be  borne  either 
in  private  theatricals  or  in  the  public  stage. 


JOURNAL. 

Tuesday,  October  26th.  —  Left  North  Audley  Street. 
A  very  fine  sunny  morning. 

Wednesday,  27th. — Arrived  at  Dover ;  found  Captain 
Blake  waiting  for  us,  too  late  to  save  the  tide. 

Thursday,  28th. — A  south  wind  so  directly  in  our  teeth, 
that  it  was  impossible  to  sail.  Walked  about  Dover  and 
to  the  Parade  upon  the  beach  about  half  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  to  the  west  of  the  town,  where  a  whale  no  less  than 
eighty-seven  feet  long  had,  about  three  weeks  before, 
been  towed  ashore  by  two  fishing-boats.  It  had  at  first 
been  seen  by  the  Deal  boats  lying  upon  the  Goodwin 
Sands,  and  was  taken  for  a  vessel ;  it  was  then  floated 
nearer  this  way,  and  was  dead  and  much  wasted  be- 
fore they  brought  it  in  here.  When  I  saw  it,  the  enor- 
mous backbone,  with  a  quantity  of  shapeless  flesh  and 
skin  about  it,  was  lying  within  water  mark,  arid  looked 
exactly  like  a  large  irregular  shelf  of  rock.  The  jaw- 
bones, both  upper  and  under,  had  been  pretty  well  cleared 
of  flesh,  and  were  lying  on  different  parts  of  the  beach, 
likewise  the  tail  with  all  the  flesh  still  upon  it,  cut  off 
from  the  fish  at  the  lowest  vertebra  of  the  backbone. 
The  length  of  the  under  jawbone  of  this  stupendous 
animal  I  measured  6 £  yds.,  and  the  length  between  the 
fork  of  the  tail,  18  ft.  The  length  of  the  upper  jaw- 
bone must  have  been  much  greater,  but  it  lay  incon- 
veniently for  measuring.  I  much  regret  having  missed 
seeing  this  enormous  creature  while  it  was  entire,  for 
from  the  mangled  remains  of  its  body  no  idea  could  be 
formed  of  its  shape.  The  farmers  in  the  neighbourhood 
have  been  ever  since  employed  in  carrying  away  cart- 


200  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

loads  of  its  flesh  to  manure  their  ground.  A  Greenland 
captain,  who  happened  to  be  here  at  the  time,  said  that 
he  had  hardly  ever  seen  a  longer  whale,  but  that  it  was 
a  young  one  and  much  wasted. 

Friday,  29th. — The  wind  still  south,  we  could  not  sail. 
As  the  morning  was  very  fine,  walked  up  to  Dover 
Castle.  Beautiful  views  from  every  part ;  a  great  deal  of 
money  lately  expended  in  making  a  road  up  to  it  on 
which  the  heaviest  artillery  can  be  dragged  with  ease. 
The  whole  castle  apparently  kept  in  very  good  order ; 
two  regiments,  consisting  of  about  500  men  each,  now 
there. 

Saturday,  30th. — The  wind  changed,  and  we  went 
on  board  in  a  boat  from  the  beach.  The  wind  fell  so 
entirely,  that  we  lay  motionless  on  the  water.  After  much 
whistling  for  a  wind,  a  little  breeze  sprang  up  which 
carried  us  to  Calais  Harbour,  time  enough  to  save  the 
tide  and  land,  after  a  passage  of  seven  hours  and  a  half : 
on  deck  the  whole  time. 

The  pier  at  Calais  was  less  crowded  than  when  Mrs. 
Darner  and  I  arrived  in  the  spring ;  I  suppose  they  are 
no  longer  curious,  after  the  infinite  number  of  English 
faces  they  have  seen  in  the  course  of  the  summer.  Took 
possession  of  the  very  apartment  I  had  left  in  April. 

Sunday,  3Ist. — The  Custom  House  was  shut  at  five 
o'clock.  Money  was  also  to  be  got  from  a  banker,  who 
had  the  modesty  to  take  only  at  the  rate  of  7  per  cent, 
from  us.  Got  to  Cormont  that  night. 

Monday,  November  ~Lst. — Arrived  at  Amiens. 

Tuesday,  2nd. — Reached  Chantilly.  At  the  Posts  at 
Clermont  we  found  General  Andreossi,  *  the  French  am- 

*  Count  Antoine  Francois  Andreossi,  born  1761,  a  distinguished  French 
officer  and  scientific  writer,  served  in  all  the  revolutionary  campaigns,  ac- 
companied Napoleon  to  Egypt,  was  appointed  ambassador  to  the  English 
Court  after  the  Peace  of  Amiens.  He  was  at  the  battle  of  Austerlitz  and 
of  Wagram.  Afterwards  ambassador  at  Constantinople,  but  superseded  in 
1814.  On  the  return  of  Napoleon  from  Elba,  he  joined  his  cause,  but  was 


1802]  OCCUPY    OUR   OLD   APARTMENTS   AT   PARIS.  201 

bassador,  on  his  way  to  England ;  he  was  travelling  in  a 
handsome  new  French  coach  a  VAnglaise,  and  a  post- 
chaise  a  I'Anglaise  accompanied  it,  which,  a  la  Franqaise, 
had  something  about  it  broken. 

Wednesday,  3rd. — Arrived  at  the  Hotel  d'Orleans,  the 
apartment  upon  the  first  floor  ready  to  receive  us ;  and 
finding  everything  just  as  I  had  left  it  six  months  before, 
I  could  hardly  persuade  myself  that  I  had  been  away  at 
all.  Sent  to  Barrois  and  Mr.  Merry,  both  of  whom  we 
saw  in  the  evening,  and  Mr.  Jerningham,  who  we  found 
lodged  in  the  same  hotel,  as  well  as  Mr.  William  Throck- 
morton  *  and  Mr.  Eobert  Clifford. 

Thursday,  kth. — In  the  morning  to  the  Musee  and  to 
shops,  and  to  call  at  Madame  de  Vaudreuil,  at  1'Hotel 
de  Caraman  (her  father's  house).  In  the  evening  to  the 
The'&tre  du  Louvois,  Mr.  Moore  f  and  Mr.  Throckmorton 
of  our  party.  The  pieces  '  Le  Mari  Ambitieux,'  and  c  Les 
Conjectures,'  both  by  Picard,  and  in  both  he  acted  very 
well ;  but  the  first  is  a  satire  upon  the  intrigant  and 
ambitieux  of  the  present  day,  whose  means  and  whose 
ends  were  both  too  ignoble  to  be  interesting. 

At  the  Musee  the  large  square  anteroom  to  the  gallery, 
which  I  had  seen  in  the  spring  lined  with  all  the  finest 
Italian  pictures,  was  now  filled  with  the  exhibition  of 
works  of  their  modern  artists,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say 
many  more  historic  pictures,  and  many  better  than  our 
own  Exhibition  can  boast.  The  one  which  everybody 

instrumental  in  moderating  the  decree  against  the  Royal  Family.  After 
Waterloo,  was  one  of  the  five  commissioners  to  negotiate  an  armistice.  He 
died  1828,  leaving  many  works  written  on  different  subjects. — Rose's  Biog. 
Diet. 

*  Mr.  William  Throckmorton,  father  of  the  late  Sir  Robert  Throck- 
morton, born  1762 ;  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Thomas  Giffbrd,  Esq.,  of 
Chillington.  Died  1819. 

t  Francis  Moore,  brother  of  General  Moore,  born  1787,  died  in  Ischia, 
1854 ;  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Twysden.  He  was  in  the 
Foreign  Office  from  July  1784  to  Jan.  1802;  then  Deputy-Secretary  at 
War  to  Dec.  1802. — Correspondence  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  vol.  iii.  p.  382. 


202  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso* 

agreed  in  extolling  as  a  capo  $  opera  was  a  Phaedra  and 
Hyppolitus  by  Gerard,  a  young  artist,  of  whom  there  is 
an  extremely  good  portrait  by  a  brother  artist  just  under 
his  great  picture.  He  is  evidently  of  the  school  of 
David,  but  seems  likely  to  avoid  his  defects — that  high 
finishing  and  hardness  which  makes  his  great  pictures  all 
foreground.  In  short,  the  French  now  are  evidently 
forming  themselves  upon  the  Eoman  school,  while  ours 
have  taken  the  Venetian,  which,  though  a  Sir  Joshua 
Eeynolds  ennobled,  I  think  has  been  the  bane  of  all  our 
artists. 

Friday,  £>th. — In  the  evening  the  Opera.  Mr.  Moore, 
Mr.  Throckmorton,  and  Mr.  Pigou  of  our  party.  The 
opera  '  Tamerlane.'  The  story  is  Voltaire's  '  Orphelin 
de  la  Chine,'  but  all  French  great  operas  are  so  exactly 
alike  in  their  make,  that  it  is  never  any  matter  what  they 
are  called.  This  opera  was  over  unusually  early.  We 
were  waiting  nearly  half  an  hour  for  the  carriage.  I 
thought  the  company  in  the  lobby  had  decidedly  a  better 
appearance  than  in  the  spring,  but  I  believe  princi- 
pally from  there  being  a  vast  number  of  foreigners  there. 

Saturday,  6th. — In  the  morning  called  on  Mdlle.  de 
Mortemer,  and  on  Lady  Mount  Edgcumbe.  In  the  even- 
ing on  Lady  Elizabeth  Foster. 

Sunday,  7th. — Went  with  Barrois  to  the  Pantheon.  The 
whole  bas-relievos  of  the  faqade  have  been  altered  from 
those  of  St.  Genevieve  to  emblems  of  liberty,  and  between 
the  six  large  columns  which  support  the  pediment,  are 
four  colossal  figures  in  plaster,  meant  as  models  to  be 
executed  in  marble,  of  Strength,  Genius,  the  Eepublic, 
and  another  figure  which  I  did  not  make  out.  The 


*  Francois  Gerard,  born  at  Rome  in  1770,  in  the  house  of  Cardinal  de 
Bernis,  his  father  a  Frenchman,  and  his  mother  an  Italian.  His  first  works 
were  exhibited  in  1795.  He  was  considered  as  the  rival  of  David,  and  held 
in  the  highest  estimation  in  France  as  a  portrait  and  historical  painter. 
Died  1837. 


1802]  THE    PANTHEOX.  203 

inside,  while  intended  for  a  church,  was  never  finished. 
It  is  a  Greek  cross  of  very  fine  proportions.  Each 
division  of  the  cross  would  have  made  a  very  beautiful 
modern  church.  One  of  the  great  piers  which  support 
the  cupulo  had  given  way  (I  think  before  the  Revolu- 
tion), and  the  whole  arch  between  pier  and  pier  is  now 
filled  up  with  a  great  charpente  to  support  it.  In  the 
lower  church,  or  what  in  a  Gothic  church  one  should 
call  the  crypt,  supported  by  Tuscan  columns  without 
bases,  are  the  tombs,  or  rather  cenotaphs,  of  Voltaire  *  on 
one  side,  and  Eousseau  on  the  other.  In  the  middle  had 
been  placed  Marat,  but  no  trace  of  him  now  remained. 
They  are  both  enormous  sarcophagi,  of  plaster  or  wood 
columns  like  red  granite,  in  which  I  suppose  they  are 
intended  (ad  Grcecas  kalendas]  to  be  executed.  On  Vol- 
taire's are  inscriptions  on  every  side,  telling  what  he  did 
pour  .1' esprit  humain.  On  Rousseau  is  only  written  on 
both  sides  '  A  1'Homme  de  la  Nature.'  From  the  Pantheon 
we  walked  through  the  Luxembourg  garden,  great  part 
of  which  has  been  newly  planted,  and  is  one  of  the  finest 
public  gardens  in  the  middle  of  a  large  town  that  can 
possibly  be  seen.  The  Luxembourg  palace  too  has  been 
whitened  and  refreshed  since  it  was  the  palace  of  the 
Directory.  It  is  now  that  of  the  Conservative  Senate,  and 
some  of  them,  I  understand,  have  apartments  there,  and 
charming  they  must  be.  In  the  evening  to  the  Theatre 
Feydeau.  In  the  '  Concert  Interrompu '  and  '  Le  Calif  de 
Bagdat '  f  Ellevieu  J  acted.  He  has  a  good  voice,  and  is 

*  On  the  tomb  of  Voltaire  are  the  following  inscriptions  : — '  Poete,  his- 
torien,  philosophe,  il  aggrandit  I'esprit  humain,  il  lui  apprit  qu'il  devoit  etre 
libre.'  '  II  de"fendit  Galas,  Serven,  de  la  Barre,  et  Montbuilly.'  '  II  combattit 
lea  Athe"es  et  les  fanatiques,  inspira  la  tolerance  et  reclama  les  droits  de 
1'homme  contre  la  servitude  et  la  fe"odaliteV  The  remains  of  Voltaire  and 
of  Rousseau  were  removed  to  the  Pantheon  during  the  first  Revolution,  but 
were  secretly  taken  away  during  the  Restoration. — Galignanfs  Paris  Guide. 

t  By  St.  Just. 

J  Ellevieu,  born  1770,  became  so  popular  an  actor,  that  he  gave  his  name 


204  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

by  far  the  genteelest  actor  I  have  seen  upon  the  French 
stage  of  late  years.  Madame  du  Gazon  acted  the  mother 
in  the  '  Calif  .de  Bagdat,'  and  though,  as  the  French  say 
of  her,  '  c'est  une  ruine  que  le  temps  n'a  pas  respectee,' 
she  acted  so  well,  that  she  made  something  of  what  would 
otherwise  have  been  nothing.  The  house  was  very  full, 
as  ah1  the  theatres  generally  are  on  Sunday,  and  the 
parterre  very  noisy.  They  were  somehow  or  other  (I 
never  could  make  out  why)  particularly  diverted  with  a 
shawl  and  a  fur  tippet  hanging  over  the  side  of  a  box  on 
the  same  row  in  which  we  were,  full  of  English  people. 
This  shawl  and  fur  tippet  were  pulled  in  and  put  over 
again,  always  to  the  redoubled  amusement  of  the  parterre, 
who  all  talked,  and  laughed,  and  roared  at  once  to  the 
box,  and  this  lasted  at  two  or  three  different  reprises  for 
above  half  an  hour.  The  quiet  better  sort  of  people  in 
the  galerie  under  our  box  were  shocked  at  the  behaviour 
of  the  pit. 

Tuesday,  9th.  —  In  the  morning  at  the  Musee.  In 
the  evening  at  the  French  theatre  to  see  Mdlle.  Du- 
chenois,*  debutante  in  '  Phedre,'  who  has  appeared  in  a 
variety  of  characters  in  tragedy  this  autumn  with  the 
greatest  success.  She  is  a  tall,  very  plain  young  woman, 
and  has  not  yet  acquired  (if  she  ever  is  to  acquire)  grace 


to  a  certain  number  of  characters,  and  it  was  said  of  other  actors  '  on  debute 
dans  les  Ellevieu/  or  '  on  etude,  on  joue  les  Ellevieu.' — Diet,  de  Contem- 
porains. 

*  Catherine  Josephine  Duchenois,  whose  real  name  was  Rafin,  born  near 
Valenciennes  in  1786.  The  effect  produced  on  her  mind  at  eight  years  old 
by  the  acting  of  Mdlle.  Raucourt  determined  her  future  profession.  At 
thirteen  she  appeared  at  Valenciennes,  in  the  character  of  Palmiras  in  '  Ma- 
homet,' acted  for  a  charity,  astonishing  the  audience  with  her  dramatic 
power.  On  the  21st  July,  1802,  she  made  her  debut  at  the  Theatre  Francais 
in  the  character  of  Phedre,  and  never  lost  the  favour  of  the  public.  In  her 
last  moments  she  was  attended  by  the  Archbishop  of  Paris,  a  circumstance 
without  example  in  the  annals  of  the  French  stage.  She  died  1835,  and  is 
buried  near  Talma,  in  the  cemetery  of  Pere  la  Chaise. — Diet,  des  Contempo- 
rains,  and  Rose's  Biography. 


18C2]  MADEMOISELLE    DUCHENOIS.  205 

and  action.  Moreover,  she  has  an  inexpressive  counte- 
nance. Yet  with  all  this,  she  is  certainly  a  good,  though 
an  unequal  actress.  She  enters  thoroughly  into  the 
spirit  of  her  part,  seems  to  understand  it,  and  has  often 
admirable  touches  of  nature,  which  the  French  begin  to 
admire,  even  in  that  least  natural  of  all  compositions — 
a  French  tragedy.  With  Mdlle.  Duchenois  they  are 
enchanted.  As  soon  as  the  curtain  dropped,  a  crown  of 
laurel  was  thrown  upon  the  stage  from  some  upper  box. 
The  parterre  then  insisted  upon  the  actress  making  her 
appearance,  which  she  did,  still  in  her  stage  dress,  for  an 
instant  at  the  back  of  the  stage,  and  made  her  bows  to 
the  audience.  Still  they  were  not  satisfied.  The  second 
piece  was  attempted  to  be  begun.  They  obliged  the 
actors  to  retire.  At  last,  upon  reiterated  noise  and  con- 
fusion, a  manager,  or  director  of  some  sort,  came  forward, 
and  said : — '  Messieurs,  si  c'est  la  lecture  des  vers  que 
vous  desirez,  vous  me  permettrez  de  vous  observer  que 
nous  Favons  en  commande  de  ne  jamais  lire  des  vers  quel- 
conques  sur  le  theatre.'  This  message  was  well  received. 
The  verses  alluded  to  were  some -fastened  to  the  crown 
of  laurel.  But  the,  noise  still  continuing,  the  actress 
again  appeared  at  the  back  of  the  stage,  her  stage-dress 
off,  and  led  in  by  the  manager.  She  again  made  her 
bow,  and  again  retired.  Still  the  noise  continued,  and 
the  farce  was  again  in  vain  attempted.  The  audience 
wanted  to  see  the  actress  crowned  by  her  companions. 
At  last,  after  this  violent  noise  and  bustle  had  lasted  I 
know  not  how  long,  the  actress  a  third  time  appeared  at 
the  back  of  the  stage,  led  in  by  the  same  man,  who  put 
the  crown  upon  her  head,  which  she  instantly  and  very 
modestly  pulled  off,  and  disappeared.  The  noise  then 
ceased,  and  the  second  piece  was  allowed  to  begin.  It 
is  remarkable  that  now  that  the  theatres  at  Paris  have  no 
longer,  as  formerly,  soldiers  in  the  parterre  to  keep 
everything  quiet,  that  though  they  often  make  a  great 


206  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

noise  in  a  body  about  the  entertainment,  an  actor  or 
actress,  &c.  &c.,  yet  they  maintain  a  better  police  than 
ever  they  had  before,  in  allowing  nobody  to  talk  too 
loud,  or  to  disturb  in  any  way  the  performance. 

Wednesday,  10th. — Left  Paris.  The  Forest  of  Fontaine- 
bleau,  with  all  the  beech  trees  turned  into  gold  by  the 
season,  and  all  its  birch  trees  still  in  leaf,  hanging  over 
those  odd  masses  of  rock,  was  beautiful  beyond  ex- 
pression. 

Thursday,  llth. — Left  Villeneuve.  At  Sens  is  a  fine 
church  (where  the  last  king's  father  and  mother  were 
buried),  the  outside  of  which  does  not  seem  much  de- 
grade. 

At  Joigny,  upon  the  stone  bridge  which  crosses  the 
river,  is  a  wooden  arc  de  triomphe,  with  a  plaster  bust  of 
Buonaparte  upon  it,  with  this  inscription :  '  Au  Eesto- 
rateur  de  la  Paix,  le  Peuple  reconnaissant ; '  I  suppose, 
erected  at  the  time  of  his  journey  to  Lyons,  when  he  must 
have  passed  through  Joigny.  All  the  little  towns  upon 
this  day's  journey  have  those  sort  of  picturesque  old  gates 
which  one  sees  so  often  represented  in  Sylvesties'  prints. 
Beached  Auxerre.  . 

Friday,  \%th. — Between  Vermanton  and  Lucy  les  Bois 
passed  a  large  abbaye,  with  the  church  entirely  pulled 
down  to  the  fagade.  At  five  o'clock,  on  a  very  rainy 
foggy  November  night,  we  found  ourselves  only  at  Kou- 
vray,  a  poor  village,  where  we  determined  to  stay.  The 
inn  was  one  of  those  large,  cold  barns  of  houses,  with 
half-a-dozen  beds  in  each  room,  and  a  great  open  smoking 
chimney. 

Saturday,  13th. — Left  Eouvray.  In  this  day's  journey 
passed  a  good  deal  of  common,  the  first  I  have  seen  in 
France.  The  people  hereabout  look  very  wretched,  though 
there  are  many  little  scattered  cottages,  and  all  the  valleys 
much  enclosed  with  corn,  and  vines,  and  wood.  Arrived 
at  Autun  at  three  o'clock,  but  the  people  gave  us  so  bad 


180-2]  FKOM   AUTUN   TO    LYONS.  207 

an  account  of  the  two  intermediate  places  that  we  thought 
it  best  to  stay  where  we  were.  Autun  is  a  considerable 
town,  with  a  large  cathedral. 

Sunday,  \Mh. — The  road  from  Autun  to  Em  eland  con- 
tinues mountainous  till  reaching  the  great  plain  in  which 
Chalons  stands,  and  which  is  all  pasture  and  corn.  We 
slept  at  Tournus. 

Monday,  loth. — We  hoped  to  be  at  Lyons  between 
four  and  five  o'clock,  but  we  were  detained  at  St.  George 
de  Eenand  by  finding  postilions  and  no  horses,  and  at 
Ause  by  finding  neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  At  three 
different  posts  we  found  neither  the  master  nor  mistress 
at  home,  and  at  two  they  did  not  even  live  at  the  post : 
one  can  easily  suppose  what  frequent  vexation  and  delay 
this  must  occasion  to  travellers.  At  Ause  we  set  out  with 
four  wretched  sick  horses,  mounted  by  I  know  not  whom  ; 
before  the  long  montee  we  all  got  out  and  walked,  from 
the  impossibility  of  their  dragging  us  up.  At  Limonest 
again  no  horses.  These  delays  prevented  our  arriving  at 
Lyons  till  late.  At  Lyons  we  went  to  the  Hotel  de 
1'Europe,  which  was  formerly  the  house  of  an  individual 
of  large  fortune. 

Tuesday,  \§th. — It  rained  last  night,  and  continued  all 
this  day  without  a  moment's  intermission,  so  that,  how- 
ever curious  we  were  to  see  the  ravages  of  the  Kevolution 
upon  this  magnificent  city,  we  could  not  stir  out.  My 
father  found  out  a  Mr.  Fels,  a  little  Swiss  negotiant,  long 
settled  and  married  at  Lyons,  to  whom  we  had  been 
recommended  long  ago  when  we  were  first  here,  a  civil, 
little,  quiet,  intelligent  man,  who  came  to  us  in  the 
evening. 

Wednesday,  Ylth. — The  rain  continued  with  unceasing 
obstinacy,  but  we  were  so  afraid  of  leaving  Lyons 
without  seeing  anything  of  its  present  condition  that  we 
sent  for  a  hackney  coach,  and  after  going  with  Mr.  Fels 
to  two  or  three  shops,  drove  round  the  Place  de  Bellecour 


208  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1302 

and  along  the  Quai  du  Bhone.  Two  sides  of  the  Place 
de  Bellecour  are  reduced  to  a  heap  of  ruins,  and  bring 
forward,  instead  of  its  handsome  fagades,  the  fronts  of 
the  two  streets  that  ran  at  its  back.  Of  the  arsenal  upon 
the  bank  of  the  Saone  nothing  remains  but  the  outward 
walls,  and  in  many  parts  of  the  town  similar  ravages  are 
visible.  But  the  destruction  of  buildings  in  this  unfor- 
tunate city  is  nothing  and  not  worth  mentioning  in  com- 
parison to  the  destruction  of  men,  of  industry,  and  of 
commerce,  which  it  will  be  years  before  they  can  re- 
establish, if  ever.  It  is  impossible  to  walk  through  the 
streets  of  Lyons  and  not  be  struck  with  the  miserable 
appearance  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  people,  and  most 
especially  of  the  women,  nor  to  enter  their  shops  and 
magazines  without  being  struck  with  their  altered  and 

o  o 

reduced  state,  their  small  stock,  and  the  absence  of  all 
appearance  of  their  former  affluence.  The  whole  town 
seems  yet  terrassee  with  the  dreadful  blows  it  received ; 
and  careless,  volatile,  and  thoughtless  as  French  people 
are,  at  Lyons,  and  Lyons  only  it  is,  that  I  have  seen 
the  Eevolution  has  left  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  of 
horror  upon  the  minds  of  all  orders  of  people.  Well  it 
may  !  Such  particulars  of  horror  as  Fels  gave  us,  him- 
self having  been  eye-witness  to  such  as  one  had  before 
hoped  only  existed  in  exaggerated  accounts.  This  little 
quiet  man,  after  remaining  at  Lyons  on  account  of  the 
person  whom  he  has  since  married  much  longer  than  (as 
being  a  Swiss)  he  need,  was  at  last  obliged  to  seek  his 
personal  safety  by  concealment  in  a  village  near  Lyons, 
where  he  worked  for  six  weeks  as  a  journeyman  car- 
penter. All  those  young  men  who  had  taken  up  arms  to 
preserve  the  tranquillity  of  their  town  against  the  Terrorists 
were,  without  any  other  forme  de  proces  than  reading 
their  names,  shot,  and  all  the  older  men  who  were  of  the 
same  disposition  guillotined  by  dozens  in  a  day.  Two 
hundred  and  nine  of  the  young  ones  were  chained  to- 


1802]  DOWN  THE   RHOXE.  209 

gether  and  fired  at  with  grape  shot  in  the  Place  de  Belle- 
cour,  till  nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  cries  of  these 
miserable  people,  requesting  any  friendly  hand  to  put 
them  out  of  their  pain. 

*  Oh  Francia,  Francis,  vituperio  delle  grate  ! ' 

Thursday,  18^ — The  rain  had  at  last  ceased,  but  from 
the  bad  account  we  heard  of  the  roads  and  my  father's 
wishing  to  go  by  water,  we  determined  to  go  down  the 
Eh  one,  and  to  start  the  following  day.  We  took  a  long 
and  dirty  walk  in  the  streets  and  upon  the  quais.  Lyons 
is  certainly  a  most  beautifully  situated  town ;  the  views 
from  all  the  bridges  of  the  high  and  rocky  bank  of  the 
Saone,  covered  with  all  sorts  of  picturesque  stone  build- 
ings, intermixed  with  trees  and  vineyards,  surpasses  any- 
thing I  know  elsewhere.  The  streets  are  in  themselves 
very  narrow  and  nasty,  but  the  two  great  rivers  passing 
through  tj^e  town  prevent  it  from  being  close,  and  all  the 
quais  are  handsome. 

Friday,  19^. — We  went  on  board  our  boat  from  the 
Quai  du  Saone  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  with  the 
sun  breaking  through  a  fog  and  gilding  in  the  most  beau- 
tiful manner  in  the  world  the  buildings  and  the  banks  of 
the  river.  It  was  an  hour  before  we  got  clear  of  Lyons 
and  fairly  into  the  Ehone,  at  a  wooden  bridge  called  De 
la  Perrache,  just  below  the  confluence  of  the  two  streams. 
The  fog  cleared  away,  and  it  was  a  fine  sunny  day,  but 
between  eleven  and  twelve  a  wind  suddenly  rose  from 
the  south,  which  made  the  water  rough  and  retarded  the 
motion  of  our  loaded  bark.  Besides  the  carriage  on  board, 
it  had  what  they  call  a  chambre  ;  the  chambre  is  a  space 
covered  over  with  rough  boards  like  a  tilt,  and  a  piece  of 
gauze-like  canvass  thrown  over,  and  in  some  degree  keep- 
ing the  air  out ;  this  with  a  plank  put  all  round  by  way  of 
bench,  and  a  good  deal  of  straw  in  the  bottom  over  the 
loose  planks,  forms  the  whole  furniture  and  accoutrements 

VOL.  II.  P 


210  MISS  BEEEY'S  JOUBNAL.  [1802 

of  these  most  awkward  barks.  Nothing  but  their  being  in 
constant  use,  and  accidents  seldom  happening,  could  per- 
suade one  they  were  not  the  most  dangerous  of  all  convey- 
ances ;  but  they  never  attempt  to  cope  with  any  difficulties. 
The  moment  the  wind  blew  our  boatmen  pushed  to  shore, 
and  there  we  lay  till  between  two  and  three,  when  the 
wind  lowered ;  we  then  pushed  out,  but  we  had  hardly 
got  into  the  current  of  the  stream  before  we  found  the 
wind  as  high  as  ever,  and  again,  therefore,  came  to  the 
bank  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  near  Givors,  and 
opposite  a  little  wretched  sort  of  ale  or  wine-house,  used 
only  by  the  men  and  horses  who  drag  boats  up  the  river. 
It  was  now  three  o'clock,  and  no  appearance  of  the  wind 
lowering,  we  despatched  the  courier  to  Vienne  to  get  a 
carriage  of  some  sort  to  convey  us  thither.  My  father, 
tired  of  sitting  in  the  boat,  accompanied  the  courier  Gibaud, 
and  they  were  nearly  two  hours  and  a  half  getting  there  ; 
and  so  by  the  time  Gibaud  returned  to  us  in  the  cabriolet 
it  was  eight  o'clock,  an  excessively  dark  night  threatening 
hard  rain,  the  road  so  bad,  so  narrow,  and  so  near  the 
Ehone  that  he  had  walked  with  a  /allot  at  the  horses' 
heads  all  the  way.  We  therefore  resolved  to  remain 
quietly  in  the  coach  all  night,  and  to  send  Peter  in  the 
cabriolet  to  my  father  with  a  note.  We  lighted  our  lamps, 
ate  some  of  our  cold  provisions,  and  then  composed  our- 
selves for  the  night,  that  is  to  say,  resolved  two  of  us  to 
sleep  and  one  to  watch.  Gibaud  and  the  two  boatmen 
slept  upon  straw  in  the  chambre  of  the  boat.  It  rained 
most  part  of  the  night.  • 

Saturday,  2Qth.  —  We  all  slept  very  quietly  till  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  when,  it  being  perfectly  calm  and 
not  very  dark,  I  persuaded  the  men  to  set  out  again,  and 
we  arrived  at  Vienne  at  half-past  five,  long  before  it  was 
light.  One  of  the  coach  lanterns  lighted  us  to  the  inn 
near  the  waterside.  Here  we  woke  my  father,  who  had 
gone  late  to  bed,  and  passed  an  anxious  night,  as  Peter  and 


1802]  TAIN. — TOURNOX.  211 

the  cabriolet  had  never  arrived.  This  circumstance  began 
now  to  make  us  all  uneasy,  from  the  badness  of  the  road 
he  had  to  pass,  its  nearness  to  the  river,  and  the  extreme 
darkness  of  the  night.  As  soon  as  it  was  light  we  de- 
spatched a  postilion  to  look  for  him  :  the  postilion  returned 
about  eight,  and  relieved  us ;  he  had  found  the  cabriolet 
and  Peter.  The  night  had  been  so  dark  that  the  driver 
would  not  go  on,  and  they  had  stopped  at  some  little 
auberge.  About  nine  the  cabriolet  arrived,  but  why  the 
driver  would  not  start  earlier  this  morning  with  poor 
Peter,  who  was  up  at  four  o'clock,  his  entire  ignorance 
of  French  prevented  our  ever  knowing.  Vienne  is  most 
picturesque  from  the  water;  a  high  stone  quad  or  embank- 
ment to  the  river,  which  is  ascended  in  the  middle  and 
on  each  side  by  a  flight  of  steps  under  large  stone  arches. 
A  great  Gothic  cathedral,  rising  above  the  town,  and  moun- 
tains covered  with  vines  and  picturesque  buildings  rising 
again  above  that.  The  banks  of  the  Ehone  are  beautiful, 
well  peopled  from  Lyons  to  this  place,  and  yet  I  hope 
never  again  to  see  them  from  the  water.  St.  Vallier 
Tain  is  a  little  village  close  upon  the  Ehone,  with  the 
far-famed  hill  giving  its  name  to  the  Yin  de  rHermitage 
rising  close  behind  it ;  on  the  top  of  the  hill  is  a  small 
building  which  was  a  hermitage.  Opposite  Tain  is  a 
much  larger  town,  Tournon,  with  a  picturesque  old 
chateau  belonging  to  the  Prince  de  Soubise,*  and  now 
a  barrack  for  soldiers,  and  another  very  large  building, 
formerly  a  college  of  Jesuits,f  and  now  a  place  of  edu- 
cation, where  they  pay  about  40/.  a  year  (according  to 
the  information  of  our  boatmen).  Soon  after  we  landed 

*  The  old  castle  of  the  Counts  of  Tournon  and  Dues  de  Soubise  is  now 
converted  into  the  purposes  of  a  mairie,  tribunal,  and  a  prison. 

t  The  College  Royal,  originally  founded  by  the  Cardinal  de  Tournon,  a 
favourite  of  Francis  I.,  1542,  and  a  few  years  afterwards,  1561,  delivered 
over  to  the  Jesuits,  in  order  to  extirpate  the  seeds  of  Protestantism.  They 
maintained  their  post  here,  until  the  suppression  of  the  order  in  1766.  It 
next  became  an  6cole  militaire, — See  Murray's  Handbook. 

p2 


212  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

at  Tain  it  blew  a  hurricane  from  the  south  and  rained 
most  part  of  the  night. 

Sunday,  21st — Up  early,  hoping  to  have  got  to  the 
Pont  St.  Esprit  to-night.  At  our  vilest  of  all  auberges 
the  people  of  the  house  squabbled  with  our  stupidest  of 
all  couriers  about  his  bed,  and  they  all  went  together  by 
the  ears  in  the  kitchen  below  with  a  noise  enough  to 
deafen  one,  which  prevented  our  going  to  bed  for  an 
hour,  and  recommenced  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
At  six  o'clock,  when  we  were  hoping  to  be  off,  the  wind 
and  rain  continued  so  violently  that  our  boatmen  said  it 
was  impossible.  We  felt  it  was  impossible  to  stay  where 
we  were,  and  therefore  set  out  to  reconnoitre  the  other 
inns.  The  Hotel  de  1' Assurance  had  been  the  house  of 
the  seigneur  of  the  village,  and  to  this  the  boatman 
objected,  saying  the  host  was  un  coquin,  and  qu'il  ne 
fallait  pas  aller  la.  It  was  a  large  melancholy  degarnie 
looking  house,  the  worse  for  the  signs  of  having  seen 
better  days,  and  a  very  bad-looking  host,  with  two  young 
girls  (his  daughters),  and  a  strange  ill-looking  man  who 
officiated  as  cook,  were  its  only  inhabitants.  But,  as  we 
found  an  apartment  of  three  rooms  opening  into  each 
other  and  shut  under  one  door,  we  ventured  to  remain 
there,  hoping  to  go  on  before  night.  But  the  wind  con- 
tinued high  in  our  teeth,  and  torrents  of  rain  fell,  so  that 
not  only  proceeding  further  was  out  of  the  question,  but 
we  literally  could  not  stir  out  of  our  melancholy  abode. 
We  opened  the  windows,  and,  when  the  rain  allowed  us 
to  see  anything,  sketched  the  Montagne  de  I'Hermitage 
from  our  windows.  At  night  I  made  Peter  sleep  in  my 
father's  room  with  his  pistols,  and  we  met  with  no  dis- 
turbance. The  beds  and  scanty  furniture  were  wretched. 

Monday,  22rcdL — At  last  we  left  Tain  at  seven  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  We  heard  with  regret  that  the  Duchess 
of  Cumberland's  boat  had  passed  us  about  half  an  hour 
before  we  set  out.  Thus  what  I  had  been  so  particularly 


1802]  AVIGNON.  213 

anxious  to  avoid,  knowing  the  inconvenience  it  would 
occasion  us,  these  delays,  and  the  roguery  of  our  boat- 
men's master,  who,  I  believe,  desired  them  not  to  get  be- 
fore the  boat  in  which  he  was  himself,  brought  to  pass  ; 
we  did  not  succeed  in  getting  to  the  Pont  St.  Esprit,  with 
good  light,  which  is  necessary  there  from  the  rapidity 
of  the  stream  under  its  arches.  Stopped,  therefore,  at 
Bourg  St.  Andiol,  a  little  village  on  the  same  side  of  the 
river,  about  four  o'clock ;  bad  as  the  inn  was,  we  were 
certainly  more  comfortable  than  at  Tain.  At  this  and  at 
all  these  little  towns  and  villages  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Ehone,  I  have  observed  a  large  cap  of  liberty  hoisted 
upon  the  end  of  a  high  Maypole,  or  on  a  church  steeple, 
or  some  other  height. 

Tuesday,  23rd. — The  banks  of  the  river  near  St.  Andiol 
low  and  not  interesting ;  the  Pont  St.  Esprit  and  its  town 
most  picturesque  from  the  water,  and  a  charming  view  of 
both  and  of  an  old  ruined  fortress  upon  a  hill.  On  each 
side  of  the  river,  between  the  Pont  St.  Esprit  and  Avignon, 
there  are  a  number  of  most  picturesque  ruined  castles,  and 
near  the  edge  of  the  water  some  fine  trees.  Arrived  at 
Avignon  :  a  fine  warm  November  day.  The  Duchess  of 
Cumberland's  boat  had  arrived  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  us.  and  she  had  not  yet  disembarked. 

Wednesday,  24£/i. — Walked  about  the  town :  it  looks 
much  the  worse  for  the  Eevolution.  The  people  look 
poorer,  the  shops  worse,  and  the  great  houses  shabby.  A 
most  beautiful  view  from  a  rock  in  the  middle  of  the 
town,  which  rises  abruptly  from  the  Ehone,  and  on  which 
was  situated  the  Legate's  palace,*  the  cathedral,f  and  the 
prison.  The  palace  is  totally  gutted,  the  cathedral  made 

*  Besides  what  it  suffered  at  the  Revolution,  this  edifice  was,  in  1814, 
made  the  receptacle  for  some  hundred  Spanish  prisoners.  It  has  lately 
undergone  repairs,  and  has  been  modernised  with  bad  effect. — See  Murray's 
Ilttntfbook. 

t  The  palace  of  the  Popes  is  now  degraded  into  a  barrack. 


214  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

a  ruin  (a  most  picturesque  one  it  is) ;  the  prison  remains, 
and  is  probably  more  inhabited  than  ever.  From  this 
height  is  to  be  seen  the  whole  town  below,  the  Ehone, 
and  the  Durance,  winding  for  many  miles  through  a  rich 
and  well-wooded  valley  bounded  by  fine  mountains  ;  the 
broken  bridge  of  Avignon,  and  the  fine  castle,  which  was 
a  convent  of  Benedictines,  upon  an  eminence  at  Villerieuve, 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Ehone. 

Thursday,  2oth. — Finding  the  Durance  (a  post  and 
three-quarters  from  hence)  was  not  passable,  that  is  to 
say,  the  trail  (the  rope  and  pulley  from  two  poles)  was  not 
re-established,  and  the  sky  threatening  more  rain,  we  de- 
termined to  go  the  same  way  the  Duchess  of  Cumberland 
had  taken  the  day  before,  though  it  makes  a  difference 
of  no  less  than  five  posts  in  going  from  Avignon  to  Aix. 

Crossed  the  two  branches  of  the  Ehone  a  la  trail  with- 
out any  difficulty.  There  is  a  low  island  between  them, 
much  covered  with  trees,  which  had  been  all  under  water 
two  or  three  days  before,  and  consequently  this  passage 
of  the  Ehone  could  not  then  have  been  passable.  There 
is  a  rough  paved  road  across  the  island  from  the  one  boat 
to  the  other ;  a  high  montee  after  passing  Villeneuve,  all 
covered  with  olives  (the  first  we  have  seen),  and  from 
whence  there  is  a  fine  extensive  view.  It  is  well  for  us 
we  had  crossed  the  river,  for  it  rained  more  or  less  the 
whole  way  to  La  Foux  (the  little  village  opposite  Eemou- 
lin).  Determined  to  go  round  by  the  Pont  du  Orard, 
though  a  little  out  of  the  way,  but  well  worth  while,  for 
I  know  no  ruin  more  imposing  and  more  beautiful. 

Friday,  2Qth. — Left  La  Foux  at  seven  ;  they  would  not 
start  sooner,  pretending  the  roads  were  so  bad  they  must 
wait  for  daylight,  but  in  fact  because  the  posts  upon  this 
road  are  so  badly  served  that  there  are  only  horses  and 
men  enough  to  carry  the  mail,  and  that  travellers  can 
never  be  sure  of  getting  the  number  wanted.  For  about 
a  league,  near  the  banks  of  the  Ehone,  the  road  had  been 


1802]  FROM   BEAUCAIRE   TO   ORGOX.  215 

three  or  four  feet  deep  in  water  two  days  before,  and  had 
deposited  such  oceans  of  mud  and  water  and  sand,  that  in 
some  places  it  was  almost  up  to  the  naves  of  the  wheels. 
From  Beaucaire  to  Tarascon  the  Eh  one  is  crossed  over  a 
bridge  of  boats,  which  leads  to  a  causeway,  and  then  over 
another  bridge  of  boats,  all  of  which  are  dreadfully 
jumbling,  without  any  sort  of  railing,  and  would  be  posi- 
tively dangerous  in  the  dark.  At  Tarascon  we  arrived  by 
ten  o'clock.  Here  again  found  no  horses ;  they  were  to 
be  back  by  twelve  o'clock  :  we  waited  till  twelve,  till  one, 
till  past  two  before  they  came,  and  it  was  three  before 
they  were  ready  to  set  off  with  us.  When  we  saw  the 
road  we  could  not  wonder  at  the  delay :  for  the  first  hour 
we  went  continually  through  water,  sometimes  up  to  the 
horses'  knees,  sometimes  up  to  their  fetlocks,  but  con- 
tinually walking  through  water — the  road  and  the  whole 
flat  country  near  it  on  both  sides  had  been  overflowed  by 
the  Ehone.  Arrived  at  St.  Eemy  with  the  last  rays  of 
light  :  it  is  a  good-looking  open  village,  with  large 
trees  in  the  street,  which,  after  the  little  stinking  walled 
towns  of  this  country,  is  remarkable. 

Saturday,  27th. — Orgon  is  a  walled  village,  beautifully 
situated  on  a  rock,  at  the  bottom  of  which  there  is  a  rich 
valley  watered  by  the  Durance.  The  road  here  bore 
ma^ks  of  having  been  overflowed,  as  well  as  all  the 
adjacent  fields,  by  the  river,  which  the  people  of  the 
country  call  tres  mediant,  as  it  loads  their  fields  with 
nothing  but  gravel  and  stones,  while  the  Ehone  often 
fattens  them  with  mud.  The  whole  country  hereabout 
js  undone  with  the  quantity  of  rain  they  have  had  within 
this  last  month,  after  a  long  drought  of  nearly  seven 
months.  Between  Orgon  and  Pontroyal  the  road  is 
scarcely  passable  at  a  footpace,  and  portions  of  the  road 
entirely  impassable  between  Pontroyal  and  St.  Canat. 
At  this  place  the  postilions  are  obliged  to  drive  out  of 
the  road  into  the  fields ;  and  a  great  deal  of  rain  having 


216  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

fallen  just  before  we  passed,  in  one  of  these  drivings  off 
and  on  the  road,  our  carriage  stuck  entirely  fast  up  to  the 
nave  of  the  wheels  in  stiff  mud,  the  middle  having  hit 
upon  the  root  of  an  olive  tree.  We  all  got  out,  and  we 
soon  found  it  was  vain  for  the  postilions  and  their  horses 
to  endeavour  to  move  it :  in  the  first  attempt  they  made 
they  cracked  the  pole.  Agnes  and  I  therefore  trotted 
away  as  hard  as  we  could  to  the  village,  luckily  not  above 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  off,  for  the  road  was  monstrously 
muddy,  and  it  rained  hard  before  we  got  half  way  there. 
We  immediately  took  possession  of  a  very  miserable  little 
inn,  sending  fresh  post-horses  back  to  the  carriage  to  help 
it  out  of  its  scrape  ;  in  the  meantime  a  muleteer  passing 
with  a  couple  of  mules  had  done  the  business.  The 
carriage  arrived  an  hour  after  ourselves :  the  cracked  pole 
had  to  be  mended.  It  rained  hard,  and  we  determined 
to  stay  here  at  St.  Carnal  all  night. 

Sunday,  28th. — Arrived  at  Aix ;  the  road  so  bad  that 
we  were  obliged  to  walk  the  horses  the  whole  way. 
Country  very  pretty.  Aix,  like  all  the  rest  in  the  southern 
part  of  France,  bears  melancholy  marks  of  the  neglect 
and  poverty  into  which  it  has  fallen  during  the  Eevolu- 
tion  :  the  pavement  is  so  neglected  that  a  carriage  would 
with  difficulty  get  along  some  of  the  narrow  streets ;  many 
of  the  handsome  houses  are  quite  untenanted,  and  others 
look  quite  neglected,  their  proprietors  (where  they  still 
exist)  living  only  in  a  corner  of  them.  We  had  a  letter  to 
M.  d'Albertas,  possessing  one  of  these  houses,  and  who,  not 
having  emigrated,  still  possesses  all  they  have  chosen  to 
leave  him  of  his  fortune.  His  account  of  the  situation  of 
all  the  upper  order  of  people  in  the  provincial  towns  most 
melancholy :  they  live  chacun  de  son  cote  as  they  can, 
but  sociability  and  comfort  seem  banished  from  among 
them.  The  prefets  and  sous-prefets  who  are  appointed 
to  the  governments  of  the  departments  are  for  the  most 
part  low,  and  all  of  them  poor,  and  think  of  nothing  but 


1802]  FROM  AIX   TO   TOURVES.  217 

enriching  themselves  while  they  can,  and  neglect  in  the 
most  shameful  manner  the  districts  they  are  appointed  to 
look  after ;  thus  roads  and  bridges  and  towns  are  all 
degraded,  and  nothing  done  to  repair  the  neglect  and  the 
ravages  of  ten  years'  Vandalism. 

Monday,  2$th. — We  heard  so  bad  an  account  of  the 
roads  to  Nice,  that  we  sent  our  trunks  by  a  carrier  to 
lighten  the  stress  upon  the  carriage. 

Tuesday,  30th. — The  road  from  Aix  to  La  Grande 
Pugere  very  picturesque  and  beautiful ;  but  from  thence 
to  Tourves  (two  posts  and  a  half)  so  excessively  bad  in 
the  way  of  mud,  of  stones,  and  of  holes,  that  we  walked 
above  half  the  way ;  and,  I  believe,  the  carriage  would 
never  have  passed  some  of  the  mauvais  pas  but  for  the 
aid  of  soldiers,  who,  being  quartered  all  over  the  country 
for  the  surety  of  the  roads,  accompanied  us  from  one  of 
their  posts  to  another,  and  supported  the  carriage  and 
helped  it  forward  in  any  difficulty.  When  at  last  we  got 
to  Tourves*  it  was  four  o'clock,  and  beginning  to  rain. 
We  were  so  heartily  tired,  corps  et  ame,  with  the  road 
we  had  gone  through,  and  the  thoughts  of  what  remained 
to  us,  that  we  put  up  for  the  night  at  the  very  dirtiest 
Cheval  Blanc  that  I  ever  encountered,  and  where  I  was 
kept  awake  the  whole  night  by  a  storm  of  wind  and  vio- 
lent rain  beating  at  the  window,  every  drop  of  which  I 
knew  would  count  against  us  on  the  road  next  day. 

Wednesday,  December  1st. — Left  Tourves,  the  most 
miserable  village  I  have  yet  seen,  at  half  past  six.  Having 
found  how  useful  the  soldiers  were,  we  took  a  party  of 
four  with  us  from  this  place,  and  continued  so  to  do 
during  the  whole  route.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  this, 
as  we  found  them  at  every  change  of  horses,  and  they 
have  lately  been  accustomed  to  this  business,  and  are  very 

*  Tourves,  a  wretched  town  of  2,800  inhabitants  in  the  Dtipartement  de 
Var.     No  inn. — Vide  Murray's  Handbook. 


218  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso-2 

serviceable.  When  we  arrived  at  Brignolles  by  ten  o'clock, 
the  postmaster  told  us  we  should  find  a  little  torrent 
between  that  and  Flassans,  so  swelled  by  the  last  night's 
rain  as  to  be  impassable  for  several  hours.  Perhaps  his 
advice  might  be  somewhat  influenced  by  wishing  to  detain 
us.  But  we  resolved  to  stay  here  for  the  day.  It  was 
well  we  did. 

Thursday,  2nd.  —  Left  Brignolles  at  seven  o'clock. 
Very  fine  morning.  We  had  our  side-saddle  put  on  a 
bidet  of  the  poste,  and  rode  and  walked  alternately  the 
whole  way  to  Flassans.  Being  in  the  carriage  was  out 
of  the  question,  for  after  the  first  half  league  the  road  was 
one  continued  broken-up  pavement,  or  rather  heap  of 
rocks, — how  any  carriage  gets  over  it,  I  have  no  idea. 
From  Flassans  to  Luc  we  continued  to  ride  and  walk. 
The  day  was  delicious,  the  country  beautiful,  and  had  it 
not  been  for  the  worry  of  having  a  carriage  that  one 
expected  to  see  broken  every  moment,  I  should  have 
thought  the  journey  delightful.  On  leaving  Luc  the  road 
passes  through  a  wood  of  olives,  with  a  high  mountain 
on  the  left  crowned  by  a  romantic  village  and  a  castle 
belonging  to  a  M.  de  Corbel  (or  some  such  name),  who 
possessed  a  large  estate  around  it.  The  castle  was  made 
an  entire  ruin,  and  the  property  taken  from  him,  in  the 
Eevolution.  The  postilion,  my  informer,  added  that  he 
had  returned  into  the  country,  and  had  got  back  some 
small  part  of  his  estate.  Beautiful  hills  just  before  enter- 
ing Vedauban,  covered  with  pines  and  evergreen  oaks, 
which,  in  a  sunny  day  like  this,  makes  one  entirely  forget 
winter. 

Friday,  3rd. — We  left  Vedauban  at  six,  in  a  drizzling 
rain,  continuing  more  or  less  the  whole  way  to  Muy, 
nearly  half  of  which  we  rode  and  walked.  From  Muy 
to  Frejus  the  road  had  been  described  as  very  bad  and 
difficult,  and  it  justified  its  reputation,  for  worse  to  be 
passable  at  all,  I  never  saw.  A  stone  bridge  having  been 


1802]  FREJUS.  219 

carried  away,  the  carriage  was  obliged  to  make  a  detour 
of  above  a  league  across  the  country.  We  walked  and 
rode  almost  the  whole  way  to  a  village  within  a  league 
of  Frejus,  from  whence  the  carriage  was  to  turn  off  the 
road ;  and  here,  taking  one  of  our  escort  of  soldiers  to 
show  us  the  way,  my  father,  my  sister,  myself,  and  Peter, 
by  the  advice  of  our  postilions,  proceeded  to  Frejus  on 
foot.  The  road  we  had  to  go  was,  they  said,  a  short 
league.  When  we  came  to  the  broken  bridge,  we  were 
obliged  to  leave  the  road  and  pass  along  a  bank  with 
water  on  each  side,  so  narrow  and  so  slippery  with  the 
rain,  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty,  and  with  laying 
hold  of  the  bushes  or  trees  on  one  side  of  the  bank,  that 
we  kept  our  feet  at  all ;  added  to  which,  at  certain  dis- 
tances, we  had  to  pass  over  a  sort  of  heads,  made  to  keep 
back  a  strong  stream  of  water  which  was  running  below 
our  bank  on  the  right  hand  from  flowing  into  the  fields 
on  our  left.  These  heads  were  certainly  not  more  than 
twelve  inches  wide,  and  the  water  was  on  both  sides  of 
them  !  How  I  passed  I  know  not,  except  that  I  knew  I 
could  not  remain  where  I  was,  and  that  it  rained  hard, 
and  that  we  were  wet  through  shoes  and  boots.  In  some- 
thing less  than  an  hour  we  arrived  at  Frejus,  the  inn, 
luckily,  near  the  gate  of  the  town.  We  were  soon  com- 
fortable again,  and  the  more  so,  that  the  carriage  arrived 
safe,  and  sooner  than  we  expected.  Frejus  is  a  wretched- 
looking  old  town,  with  an  old  ruined  gate  to  it,  and 
situated  about  half  a  mile  from  the  sea  as  the  bird  flies. 

Saturday,  kth. — Here  we  had  intended  to  embark  our 
carriage  to  avoid  all  further  risk  on  these  impassable 
roads ;  and  this  can  only  be  done  at  San  Eafaelle,*  a  little 
village  upon  the  edge  of  the  sea  about  a  mile  from  Frejus  ; 
but  there  were  no  tolerably-sized  vessels,  no  quay,  nor  con- 

*  Napoleon  landed  at  this  small  port  1799,  on  his  return  from  Egypt,  and 
embarked  hence,  1814,  for  Elba.   This  is  the  birthplace  of  the  Abbe"  Sieyes. 

Murray's  Handbook. 


220  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isoa 

venience  for  embarking  anything.  So,  finding  the  Duchess 
of  Cumberland's  two  coaches  had  safely  passed  the  moun- 
tain two  days  before,  we  determined  to  venture  also. 
Walked  to  Frejus.  Just  without  the  town  on  the  Aix  side, 
a  very  complete  ruin  of  a  Eoman  amphitheatre,*  the  upper 
rows  of  arches  only  being  entirely  destroyed.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  town  are  great  remains  of  an  aqueduct,f  which 
brought  the  water  from  the  mountains,  and  is  very  pic- 
turesque in  the  landscape.  Frejus,  like  all  the  other 
towns  in  the  South  of  France,  having  had  its  convents,  its 
seminaries,  and  its  public  buildings  destroyed  or  shut  up, 
its  pavement,  streets,  &c.,  entirely  neglected,  and  its  inha- 
bitants reduced,  exhibits  an  appearance  of  wretchedness 
unknown  in  former,  and,  perhaps,  worse  times. 

Sunday,  5th. — The  morning  threatened  rain,  but  tired 
with  the  delays  of  our  journey,  and  knowing  that  every 
drop  that  fell  would  make  the  rest  of  it  more  difficult,  we 
ventured  to  start  early.  The  road  flat  for  about  a  league 
before  ascending  the  Estrelles  Mountains.  It  has  been  a 
well-made  mountain  road,  as  it  winds  round  several  hills 
and  was  not  very  steep  ;  but  ten  years'  neglect,  and  the 
degdt  which  mountain  rains  always  make,  have  in  many 
places  rendered  it  hardly  passable.  In  some  places  no- 
thing but  having  men  to  support  the  carriage  would  have 
prevented  it  from  overturning.  The  hills  are  everywhere 
green  with  pines  and  rich  underwood  of  a  thousand  beau- 
tiful shrubs,  such  as  arbutus  loaded  with  fruit  and  flowers, 
cistus,  myrtles,  and  a  variety  of  heaths,  all  growing  per- 
fectly wild,  but  no  houses  or  huts,  or  marks  of  habita- 
tion near,  not  even  distant  villages  upon  neighbouring 

*  Outside  the  walls  of  this  small  and  dirty  town,  of  less  than  3,000  inha- 
bitants, is  the  once-celebrated  Forum  Julii,  founded  by  Caesar ;  on  the  west 
are  the  remains  of  a  small  circus,  recently  cleared  out,  far  inferior  in  size 
and  preservation  to  those  of  Nismes  and  Aries. — See  Murray1 8  Handbook. 

t  The  most  considerable  Roman  remains  here  are  those  of  an  aqueduct ; 
it  has  been  traced  for  more  than  twenty-four  miles  up  the  valley  of  the 
Ciagne,  whose  clear  water  it  conveyed  to  the  town. 


1302]  CANNES.  221 

hills.  The  post,  upon  the  descent  of  the  mountain,  is  a 
single  desolate-looking  house,  but  surrounded  by  magni- 
ficent chestnut  trees.  Everybody  avoids  sleeping  there, 
the  accommodations  are  so  wretched.  It  was  occupied 
by  the  French  soldiers — a  sergeant's  guard  of  foot  and 
three  gendarmes  on  horseback.  We  took  with  us  no  less 
than  seven  men  and  a  corporal  to  help  us  on  the  road, 
and,  Heaven  knows  !  they  were  no  more  than  necessary  at 
the  broken  bridges.  The  descent  of  the  Estrelle,  I  under- 
stand, was  always  rough ;  it  is  now  nothing  better  than 
a  heap  of  rocks,  over  which  by  habit  the  horses  pass,  and 
by  chance  may  pull  a  light  carriage  after  them  without 
breaking  it,  and  this  was  luckily  the  case  with  ours ;  but  in 
many  parts  we  could  not  even  ride,  but  got  off  and  led  or 
drove  on  our  horses.  On  reaching  the  bottom  of  the  hill 
we  got  into  a  sort  of  marshy  bed  of  a  small  river,  which, 
like  all  the  rest,  has  overrun.  Arrived  at  Cannes,*  a  town, 
or  rather  open  village,  prettily  situated  upon  the  sea-shore, 
with  fine  wooded  hills  rising  behind  it.  The  inn,  a  little 
new-built  place,  so  immediately  upon  the  sea  that  its  noise 
kept  me  awake.  L'Isle  de  St.  Marguerite,f  to  be  seen  from 
the  descent  of  the  Estrelles,  seems  here  close  by,  and  is, 
I  believe,  not  above  a  league  and  a  half  from  the  nearest 
part  of  the  shore.  It  is  a  picturesque  object  with  its  castle 
and  a  number  of  flat-topped  pines,  which  look  actually 
growing  out  of  the  sea.  In  spite  of  being  a  good  deal 
tired  with  our  day's  journey,  and  our  little  inn  chimney 
smoking  abominably,  I  could  enjoy  from  the  window  a 
brilliant  red  sun,  setting  in  the  Mediterranean  and  colour- 
ing all  the  objects  near  the  horizon  with  that  purple  and 
blue  peculiar  to  the  South  of  France. 

*  Napoleon  landed  from  Elba  1£  miles  east  of  Cannes,  in  March  1815, 
with  an  army  of  500  grenadier  guards,  200  dragoons,  and  100  lancers  with- 
out horses. — Murray's  Handbook. 

t  In  one  of  the  group  of  two  isles  called  Le"rins,  is  a  fort,  once  a  state 
prison,  where  the 'Man  in  the  Iron  Mask'  was  imprisoned  (1686-1698). 
The  dungeon  in  which  he  was  confined  is  still  pointed  out. — Ibid. 


222  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1802 

Monday ',  5#A. — Left  Cannes  very  early.  The  road, 
though  good  through  the  village  along  the  coast,  when 
flat  and  sandy  and  requiring  no  repair,  soon  became  too 
bad  to  remain  in  the  carriage.  At  every  little  ascent  from 
the  level  of  the  sea,  the  rain  had  made  gullies  that  had 
as  usual  carried  away  half  the  road,  and  in  other  places 
it  passed  over  rocks  ;  but  while  I  live  I  never  can  forget 
the  charm  of  my  walk  about  seven  o'clock  this  morning, 
with  the  same  clear,  glorious  sun  of  the  night  before 
rising  again  out  of  the  sea,  giving  the  most  vivid  colours 
to  the  beautiful  vegetation  covering  the  rocks  on  which  we 
were  walking,  and  lighting  up  with  the  most  exquisite 
roseate  hue  the  sunny  side  of  the  distant  snow-covered 
mountains  of  the  Col  de  Tende.  This  scene,  the  freshness 
of  the  morning,  the  beauty  of  the  plants,  the  colour  and 
sound  of  the  Mediterranean,  gently  lashing  against  the 
rocks  below  me — however  ill  I  describe  it — will  remain 
for  ever  on  my  mind,  and  has  added  one  to  my,  alas ! 
too  small  stock  of  agreeable  recollections.  The  whole 
road  from  Cannes  to  Antibes  is  charming.  On  descend- 
ing an  eminence  towards  Antibes,  one  sees,  at  the  same 
time,  Nice  on  the  other  side  of  a  beautiful  bay,  backed 
by  its  wooded  hills,  white  villas,  and  high  mountains. 
Antibes  is  a  regular  fortified  town  upon  a  promontory 
which  forms  one  side  of  the  bay.  The  inside  of  the  town, 
like  the  others — narrow  streets,  with  all  the  best  houses 
ruined.  As  it  is  no  longer  a  frontier  town,  there  are  few 
soldiers  here.  From  Antibes  to  Nice  is  four  posts  round 
this  beautiful  bay.  The  road  for  the  most  part  flat,  and 
fortunately  not  requiring  much  attention,  for  it  has  been 
just  as  much  neglected  as  ah1  the  rest.  About  a  league 
from  Nice  is  the  wide  and  stony  bed  of  the  Var,  a  great 
mountain  torrent  running  in  I  know  not  how  many 
streams  to  the  sea.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Eevolution, 
the  French  built  a  wooden  bridge  over  this  to  facilitate 
the  passage  of  their  troops.  It  was  a  work  of  no  great 


1802]  FROM   ANTIBES   TO   NICE.  223 

difficulty,  and  certainly  of  great  use,  but  it  was  done  in  a 
prodigious  hurry,  with  wood  cut  down  in  a  forest  close 
by,  and  used  immediately.  Little  wonder,  therefore,  that 
the  violent  rains  of  this  last  month,  and  the  very  violent 
storm  of  wind  and  rain  (which  detained  us  on  the  Khone 
the  21st  of  November),  broke  it  down  in  two  or  three 
places.  Eepairing  it,  or  anything  else,  is  now  out  of  the 
question,  though  this  is  talked  of,  which  is  more  than  can 
be  said  of  the  roads.  Within  this  week  three  planks  have 
been  laid  over  the  broken  places,  upon  which  foot  passen- 
gers, with  steady  heads  (for  there  is  no  sort  of  rail  or 
guard  to  them)  may  pass,  and  upon  which  we  all  did 
pass,  each  taking  hold  of  a  man's  arm.  The  carriage  was 
obliged  to  go  down  nearer  the  sea  to  pass  where  the  cur- 
rents were  more  spread  and  shallow,  and  then  to  be 
dragged  over  loose  stones  and  shingles.  The  view  of 
Nice,  the  high  abrupt  rock  round  which  it  is  in  a  manner 
built,  its  long  faubourg  stretched  out  along  the  bank 
of  the  sea,  and  the  wooded  hills  behind  it,  looked  beauti- 
ful. At  last  the  carriage  arrived,  and  with  it  above  half- 
a-dozen  men,  with  poles  in  their  hands  and  barefooted. 
They  had  helped  to  pass  it  across  the  river,  and  not 
being  satisfied  with  the  courier's  offers  of  payment,  fol- 
lowed him  to  demand  more,  and  at  last  took  what  we 
offered.  We  continued  our  journey.  Entered  Nice  by 
tnis  long  scattered  faubourg  on  one  of  the  finest  days 
I  ever  saw.  Lodged  at  the  Hotel  de  York,  in  the  Place 
St.  Dominique. 

The  deep  impression  made  on  Miss  Berry's  mind  by  the 
walk  of  this  morning  and  the  wretched  night  at  Tourves, 
is  thus  spoken  of  by  her  many  years  afterwards  : — 

When  we  look  back  to  the  disagreeable  circumstance  in 
which  we  have  often  been  placed,  and  the  painful  sensa- 
tions to  which  we  have  often  been  exposed,  and  then  recol- 
lect how  many  comfortable  or,  at  least,  easy  hours  we 


224  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [1302 

have  passed  since,  when  the  memory  of  these  painful 
moments  have  been  entirely  obliterated,  it  ought  to 
be  a  great  motive  of  fortitude  and  patience  in  those  to 
come.  I  can  call  to  mind  a  night  passed  at  Tourves,  a 
miserable  village  between  Aix  and  Nice,  in  the  worst  inn 
I  ever  inhabited,  after  a  day  of  much  fatigue  on  the  worst 
road  I  ever  passed,  and  when  I  expected  every  minute  to 
see  our  carriage  broken  to  pieces ; — my  companions  both 
sadly  out  of  sorts  and  depressed  by  the  prospect  before 
them ;  myself  necessarily  uncertain  how  the  journey, 
when  once  accomplished,  would  turn  out  to  any  of  us.  I 
can  never  forget  arriving  at  this  wretched  inn,  in  a  still 
more  wretched  village,  on  a  melancholy  rainy  evening, 
the  30th  of  November  1802,  and  actually  lying  awake 
ah1  night,  in  spite  of  my  fatigue,  from  mere  vexation 
of  mind.  This  was  not  quieted  by  the  rain  beating  in  at 
my  window,  every  drop  of  which  I  knew  would  count 
against  us  in  our  next  day's  journey.  I  could  think  of 
nothing  cheerful,  nor  fancy  any  future  pleasure  ;  and  yet 
three  days  afterwards,  on  the  same  journey,  the  charms  of 
an  early  morning  walk,  between  seven  and  eight  o'clock, 
upon  the  rocky  edge  of  the  Mediterranean  between  Cannes 
and  Antibes, — the  sun  rising  unclouded  from  that  glorious 
sea,  and  tinging  the  distant  snowy  mountains  with  the 
most  beautiful  roseate  hue, — the  vivid  green  of  the  pines 
on  the  nearer  hills,  the  beauty  and  variety  of  the  vegetation 
immediately  above  me,  the  mild  freshness  of  the  morning 
air  in  the  middle  of  winter, — made  an  impression  on  my 
mind,  which  at  the  time  totally  obliterated,  and  is  certainly 
now  much  oftener  recalled  than,  the  remembrance  of  the 
night  passed  at  the  miserable  Cheval  Blanc  at  Tourves. 

NICE. 

Thursday,  Sth. — Saw  a  sort  of  bustle  in  the  Place  St. 
Dominique   from  our  windows,  and   three  coaches,  all 


1802]  NICE.  225 

voitures  de  remises,  came  out  of  our  inn,  and  drove  into 
the  Place ;  and  after  making  some  short  tour  in  the  town, 
the  first  coach,  with  two  gendarmes  on  horseback  trotting 
in  advance,  then  stopped  at  a  house  in  the  Place.  I 
enquired  what  this  might  mean,  and  found  that  the  house 
at  which  the  carriages  stopped  was  the  Mairie  ;  that  the 
mayor's  wife  had  lain  in,  and  that  the  carriage  preceded 
by  the  two  gendarmes  contained  the  prefet,  who  was 
going  to  stand  godfather  to  the  child.  I  saw  him  get  out 
in  his  prefet's  embroidered  coat,  and  he  was  shortly  after 
followed  into  the  house  by  a  number  of  trays  carried  by 
traiteurs,  which,  I  suppose,  contained  the  collation  that 
was  given  him.  This  was  between  four  and  five  o'clock. 
Before  six  o'clock,  the  same  three  carriages  proceeded  up 
another  street  to  some  church.  There  were  a  number  of 
little  ragged  boys  about  the  door,  who  shouted  when  the 
carriage  drove  off,  because  some  money  was  thrown  to 
them.  These  little  polissons,  a  few  idle  people  who  hap- 
pened to  be  upon  the  Place,  and  a  few  soldiers  from  the 
caserne  which  is  next  door,  were  the  only  spectators  of 
this  no  show.  And  this  was  all  the  ceremony  of  the  ma- 
gistrate of  one  of  their  principal  towns  going  in  state  to 
the  second  magistrate  !  This  will  not  do  :  oppressed  as 
the  towns  are,  more  than  ever  with  taxes,  their  public 
concerns  and  conveniences,  such  as  roads,  bridges,  and 
buildings  shamefully  neglected,  and  their  church  and  their 
nobles  having  nothing  to  assist  them,  they  have  not  even 
the  amusement  of  those  shows,  and  that  sort  of  public 
pomp,  of  which  everyone,  when  its  cost  did  not  fall 
immediately  upon  himself,  felt  proud,  and  which  served 
to  amuse  and  gratify  an  idle  people.  They  are  now  with- 
out their  old  amusements,  and  with  no  new  industry,  ten 
times  idler  than  ever. 

Tuesday,  14^. — Took  possession  of  our  house  in  the 
faubourg.  It  had  been  furnished  and  inhabited  by 
General  Morgan,  who  gave  it  up  to  us  on  our  paying  the 

VOL.  II.  Q 


226  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isoa 

rent  which  he  had  agreed  for,  viz.,  90Z.  till  the  1st  of  May. 
The  rent  was  enormous,  considering  the  house,  the  style 
of  its  furniture,  &c. 

The  following  letter,  addressed  to  Mrs.  Darner,  gives 
a  somewhat  more  detailed  account  of  the  Miss  Berrys' 
first  settling  at  Nice  for  the  winter. 

Nice,  Thursday,  16  Dec.,  1802. 

I  remember  your  telling  me  that  you  thought  you  should 
feel  comfortable  and  pleased  at  Strawberry  if  you  could  fancy 
me  quietly  settled,  or  taking  a  quiet  walk  at  Nice.  Be  comfort- 
able and  be  pleased  then,  dear  soul !  car  enfin  m*y  void.  After 
all  our  scruples  and  regrets  about  the  901. — and  mine,  I  assure 
you,  were  many, — we  have  been  obliged  to  give  it.  We  found 
we  were  eating  up  our  heads  (as  they  say  of  horses)  at  the 
hotel.  .  .  .  Everything  here  in  the  house  way  is  unfur- 
nished ;  the  people  always  offer  to  furnish  them  for  you,  but 
they  do  it  very  badly,  plague  you  to  death,  and  'tis  weeks  before 
you  can  get  into  them.  This  Gen1  and  Mrs.  Morgan  were  still 
willing  to  let  us  have  their  house.  .  .  .  Graces  a  ses  soins, 
this  is  much  better  furnished  than  any  other  house  here. 
Mrs.  M.'s  idea  was  to  make  it  as  like  an  uncomfortable 
English  house  as  she  could,  and  Agnes  and  I  have  had  a  world 
of  rummaging,  and  twisting,  and  twirling  all  the  things  about  to 
make  the  sitting-room  and  the  rest  of  the  house  look  comfort- 
able, and  I  think  at  last  we  are  very  well  lodged.  .  .  . 
The  Chev1  de  Chateauneuf,  to  whom  the  Dss  of  Devonshire  gave 
me  a  note,  is  not  here,  but  as  she  likewise  gave  me  the  name  of 
his  sister,  a  Mde  de  S*  Agathe,  I  sent  a  civil  note  to  her,  with  the 
Dss's  compliments,  &c.,  which  soon  brought  her  to  the  hotel ;  and 
she  turns  out  a  prettyish,  agreeableish  sort  of  a  young  woman, 
without  affectation,  and  apparently  not  without  cleverness,  and 
she  brought  a  Mons.  Eeynardi  and  her  belle  soeur,  and  two  other 
demoiselles  ;  in  short,  nous  void  faufilees  in  any  society  there 
is  at  Nice.  But  these  poor  people  have  been  all  emigres,  are 
but  lately  returned,  have  lost  more  than  the  half  of  the  little 
they  had,  and  can  do  nothing  for  anybody.  However,  we  shall 
like  their  society  sometimes,  if  we  can  get  them  to  come  to  us, 
which  I  suppose  in  time  they  will.  I  spend  my  mornings  most 


1802]  LETTER   FROM   MISS   BERRY.  227 

agreeably ;  the  beauties  of  this  place  rise  upon  me  every  mo- 
ment. I  really  think  that  for  one's  own  eating  (as  poor  Ld 
Orf.  said)  it  is  the  very  prettiest  place  I  ever  saw.  The  weather, 
for  the  most  part,  since  we  came  has  been  delicious ;  it  is  now 
cold,  that  is  to  say  in  the  early  morngs  and  eveng8,  for  in  the 
middle  of  the  day  nothing  but  the  almanac  calling  it  Decr  could 
possibly  persuade  me  it  was  anything  but  May.  I  am  so  glad 
to  find  that  tho'  my  enthusiasm  is  gone,  I  am  still  animal 
enough  to  feel  this,  '  in  ogni  fibro  il  sangue.'  I  continue  most 
comfortably  well.  .  .  .  Would  I  could  give  half  as  good  an 
account  of  the  other  poor  sick  souls !  for  Mrs.  Ellis  *  nothing 
more  can  be  done.  If  she  recovers  it  will  be  a  miracle ;  her  in- 
flammation baffles  all  attempts  to  reduce  it,  and  she  is  now  too 
weak  to  admit  of  any.  I  sat  with  Ld  Hervey  near  an  hour  yes- 
terday ;  and  he  seems  to  have  little  or  no  hope !  The  poor  Miss 
Francis,  too,  I  think  is  going  on  very  ill.  The  D88  of  Cumberland 
is,  they  say,  well  except  being  lame.  She  is  glad  to  see  any- 
body after  two  o'clock,  and  we  shall  go  some  of  these  days,  as  I 
suppose  she  will  like  to  see  all  the  English.  The  walks  here 
are  delicious,  and  I  am  going  to  get  an  ass's  legs  to  save  my  own. 
The  worst  of  the  place  is  everything  being  abominably  dear, 
which  makes  my  father  groan  and  think  it  less  pretty  than  he 
otherwise  would.  As  for  me,  I  am  very  sorry  we  cannot  save 
money  here,  but  am  resolved  at  least  to  enjoy  it  as  much  as  I 
can,  and  trust  to  you  and  Hoper  f  letting  Strawb.  well.  The  last 
part  of  our  journey  F  Avignon  here  cost  enormously,  f*  being  so 
long  about  it  and  having  an  escort,  and  our  baggage  carried, 
&c. ;  otherwise  my  calculation  of  2501.  for  the  journey  would 
hav )  been  considerably  within  the  mark. 

*  Elizabeth  Catherine  Caroline  Hervey,  only  daughter  of  Lord  Hervey 
and  Elizabeth  Drummond  of  Quebec,  married  Charles  Rose  Ellis,  Esq. 
(afterwards  Lord  Seaford)  ;  died  1803. 

f  Mr.  Hoper  is  frequently  mentioned  in  Miss  Berry's  journals  as  the  person 
on  whom  they  relied  for  transacting  business  for  them. 


228  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 


JOURNAL. 
1803. 

Entry  for  1803. — Lady  Ailesbury  dies  :  we  return  to 
England,  September. 

Nice,  January  29#A. — In  the  night  of  December  31st, 
a  violent  storm  of  thunder,  lightning,  wind,  and  rain  took 
place  here ;  from  that  time  to  this,  now  above  three 
weeks,  we  have  not  had  more  than  four  or  five  days 
free  from  heavy  and  continuous  rain.  It  is  not  cold,  and 
the  few  sunny  days  which  we  have  enjoyed  were  such  as 
to  make  the  shade  agreeable.  The  night  before  last  (Janu- 
ary 23rd),  the  clouds  that  fell  in  rain  in  the  plain  fell  in 
hail  or  snow  upon  the  nearest  hills.  To  my  feelings  a 
sudden  and  extraordinary  degree  of  cold  in  the  finest  days 
always  takes  place  here  about  four  o'clock, — that  is  to 
say,  just  before  the  setting  of  the  sun. 

February  2nd. — On  January  27th  the  weather  cleared 
up,  and  we  had  then  four  or  five  dry  days. 

In  this  month  Miss  Berry  received  the  intelligence  of 
Lady  Ailesbury 's  death.  As  the  wife  of  Marshal  Conway 
and  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Darner,  her  name  is  so  familiar  to 
the  readers  of  Horace  Walpole  that  her  daughter's  touch- 
ing description  of  her  own  feelings  on  the  occasion  may 
claim  a  place  in  Miss  Berry's  correspondence. 

Tuesday  morning,  Jan.  18. 

.  .  .  My  dearest,  kindest  of  mothers  expired  yesterday 
morning  without  a  groan,  even  without  a  sigh  ;  her  countenance 
instantly  became  placid,  and  her  fine  features  made  her  beauti- 
ful in  death  !  Such,  I  am  convinced,  can  be  the  end  only  of 


1503]  SCENERY   ROUND   NICE.  229 

one  possessing  a  virtuous  mind  and  a  conscience  without 
reproach ;  and  such  a  one,  I  am  proud  to  think,  was  my 
mother !  A  scene  more  affecting,  more  impressive,  than  her 
end,  it  was  not  possible  to  see.  My  grief  is  extreme,  and  much 
as  I  ever  thought  I  should  regret  this  dear  mother,  I  find  that 
regret  deeper  and  more  painful  than  I  expected.  All  the  ar- 
rangements— every  little  improvement  at  Strawberry  Hill — this 
house — all  (sometimes  imperceptibly  at  the  moment  to  myself) 
tended  wholly  to  procure  her  amusement  and  comforts ;  and  all 
these  have  lost  their  value  to  me.  But  never  more  to  behold  that 
benign  countenance  brightening  up  at  the  sight  of  me  I  this 
does  give  me  the  feeling  of  an  almost  .broken  heart ! 

Thursday r,  IQth. — A  long  course  up  the  valley  upon  the 
mountains  above  the  prefet's  house,  with  Colonel  Smyth 
and  Baron  Trip. 

Friday,  llth. — To  St.  Andre.  The  road  beautiful  and 
picturesque,  but  such  as  none  but  those  used  to  scrambling 
and  narrow  mountain  paths  could  go.  Colonel  Smyth  and 
Baron  Trip  our  guides,  with  the  help  of  an  ass,  we  walked 
in  all  better  than  twelve  miles, 

Thursday,  2±th. — To  the  Vallee  Obscure.  It  is  a  valley 
with  a  small  stream  of  water  running  through  it,  and 
narrowed  to  a  mere  passage  of  the  water  between  the 
hills.  These  often  rise  on  each  side  more  than  a  hundred 
feet  above  the  stream,  and  in  some  places  are  not  much 
more  than  six  or  eight  feet  apart.  We  rode  on  through 
this  little  stream  about  half  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  winding 
between  the  perpendicular  hills  almost  united  at  top  by 
trees  and  brushwood.  The  intention  of  our  guide,  General 
Eeynardi,  was  to  take  us  out  at  the  other  end,  which 
opens  into  a  beautiful  riant  country  ;  but  the  peasants  of 
the  environs  said  that  the  heavy  rains  of  this  winter  had 
brought  down  such  large  masses  of  earth  and  stones  from 
the  sides  of  the  hills  that  it  was  quite  impassable.  It  is 
about  two  hours'  walk  from  Nice,  the  whole  way  beautiful, 
by  the  villa  of  the  Contessa  da  Casta  and  the  Capucins' 


230  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Church.  The  day  was  delicious.  In  the  Vallee  Obscure, 
between  the  hills,  where  the  sun  can  never  penetrate,  the 
cold  was  striking.  Pretty  little  blue  apaticas  growing 
upon  the  sides  of  the  rock. 

Sunday,  27th. — Every  Sunday  during  Lent  there  is  a 
sort  of  fair  held  at  the  different  churches  near  Nice — it 
begins  with  Cimia.  The  road  up  to  it  was  crowded  with 
people,  and  the  Place  before  the  church  full  of  people 
selling  ah1  sorts  of  gilt  gingerbread,  figs,  raisins,  wine,  &c., 
&c.,  but  no  other  sort  of  commodity.  There  was  a  func- 
tion in  the  church,  which  was  full,  and  the  people  dis- 
persed themselves  about  in  groups  in  the  fields  and  under 
the  olive  trees,  drinking  the  wine  and  eating  the  figs, 
chestnuts,  &c.,  they  had  brought  with  them.  We  observed 
but  one  party  who  were  eating  meat,  although  there  is  a 
general  dispense  for  the  whole  country.  The  beau  monde 
of  Nice  all  take  a  walk  to  these  festins,  as  they  are  called, 
upon  the  Sundays  in  Lent,  and  generally  take  that  oppor- 
tunity of  calling  on  the  way  at  the  different  churches,  and 
upon  such  of  their  friends  as  have  country  houses.  The 
proprietors  are  always  there  at  these  times,  though 
very  seldom  at  any  other.  The  weather  delightful — but 
one  cold  or  rainy  day  from  the  llth  to  this  date,  March 
2nd. 

Sunday,  March  27th.—  These  festins  ended  to-day  with 
one  again  at  Cimia,  very  crowded,  although  the  day  was 
unpleasant.  Festins  had  been  held  at  St.  Bartlemi,  before 
the  Capucins'  Convent,  on  the  Villafranca  road  ;  and  that 
was  by  far  the  prettiest,  as  the  people  spread  themselves 
in  little  parties  all  over  the  rocky  hill  of  Mont  Alban,  and 
singularly  enlivened  the  whole  scene. 

The  weather  this  month  dry,  and  till  the  24th  warm 
and  enjoyable. 

Friday,  April  8th. — Went  to  Falicore ;  were  above  two 
hours  getting  there.  It  is  a  cleaner  little  village,  or  bourg, 
than  any  other  I  have  seen  ;  view  beautiful  on  every  side. 


1803]  LENT  AT  NICE.  231 

As  we  got  off  our  horses  and  walked  about  the  Place,  the 
whole  town  canie  out  to  look  at  us,  and  among  them  the 
three  principal  persons  of  the  place, — the  mayor,  the  cure, 
and  his  nephew,  the  avocat.  The  cure  turned  out  to  be 
an  old  acquaintance  of  General  Eeynardi's,'  who  was  with 
us  ;  and  he  insisted  so  much  upon  our  coming  into  his 
nephew's  house,  and  our  taking  a  glass  of  wine,  that  we 
were  obliged  to  comply.  The  house  was  clean  and  com- 
fortable for  this  country,  and  the  wine,  produced  in  a 
bottle  (containing  at  least  half-a-dozen  common-sized 
bottles),  most  excellent  white  Muscat.  We  stayed  with 
them  about  half  an  hour;  it  was  impossible  not  to  be 
pleased  with  their  hospitality.  It  was  Good  Friday,  so 
that  there  was  no  eating  going  on  among  them.  About 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  Falicore,  upon  the  bare  and  rocky 
side  of  the  hill  immediately  under  Mont  Can,  they  have 
lately  discovered  a  considerable  cavern  or  grotto.  One 
descends  into  it  by  a  ladder  from  the  aperture  on  the  side 
of  the  hill ;  it  is  lined  with  stalactites,  which  in  several 
places  form  little  Gothic  tabernacles,  which,  with  a  lamp 
placed  in  or  behind  them,  were  really  very  beautiful, 
though  the  colour  of  the  stalactites  was  not  very  clear- 
looking,  and  there  is  but  one  great  detached  column  ;  so 
that  I  suppose  to  those  much  accustomed  to  visit  grottos 
(which  I  am  not)  this  would  be  considered  as  but  a  mid- 
dling one.  The  proprietor,  however,  a  Piedmontese,  who 
bought  some  of  the  emigres'  land,  and  possesses  a  house 
at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  thinks  far  otherwise,  and  is  having 
stairs  cut  in  the  rock,  and  thinks,  I  believe,  that  he  is  to 
make  money  by  showing  it  to  the  strangers  who  come  to 
Nice.  Our  party  consisted  of  General  Eeynardi,  Colonel 
Smyth,  Prince  Louis  Lichtenstein,  and  ourselves. 

Saturday,  3(M. — After  uninterrupted  fair  weather  for 
eight  weeks,  a  violent  thunder-shower  fell  in  the  night  of 
the  27th.  To-day  distant  thunder  was  heard,  and  a  vast 
congregation  of  heavy  black  clouds  hanging  over  the 


232  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

mountains  seemed  to  pour  down  rain,  but  on  clearing  off 
they  left  Mont  Can  and  all  the  lower  mountains  whitened 
with  hail.  The  cold  in  the  plain  here  was  almost  as  great 
as  we  have  ever  experienced  during  the  winter. 

Tuesday r,  May  3rd. — Left  Nice.  Madame  de  St.  Agathe 
and  General  Eeynardi  accompanied  us  to  the  further  side 
of  the  Pont  du  Var.  It  is  now  passable  for  light  carriages, 
but  the  reparations  have  been  made  in  a  slight  and  slo- 
venly manner — the  gardefoux  on  the  part  that  has  been 
repaired  might  be  pushed  down  with  a  stick.  Before  we 
had  got  above  half  way  to  the  Pont  du  Var  the  two  Princes 
of  Lichtenstein*  and  Comte  Attems  joined  us.  When  we 
had  passed  the  Pont  du  Var,  Madame  de  St.  Agathe  bid  us 
adieu,  and,  I  really  believe,  with  sincere  regret.  She  is 
an  amiable,  unaffected  creature,  with  a  good  natural  un- 
derstanding, and  had  she  seen  more  of  the  world  she  would 
be  very  agreeable.  At  Antibes,  we  drove  to  the  inn, 
thinking  the  Lichtensteins  would  go  no  farther,  but  they 
kindly  proposed  accompanying  us  to  Cannes. 

At  Cannes  we  arrived  at  half-past  three.  The  road  near 
the  edge  of  the  sea,  from  which  the  view  struck  me  so 
much  in  the  winter,  I  again  made  on  foot.  The  day  was 
an  unlucky  one  for  distant  views,  and  for  a  last  look  at 
the  beauties  of  Nice ;  heavy  clouds  hung  upon  the  distant 
hills,  and  the  prospect  was  much  involved  in  mist ;  but 
still  this  part  of  the  road  charmed  me. 

At  Cannes  the  Lichtensteins  bid  us  a  most  kind  and 
hearty  farewell,  and  returned  on  their  post-horses  to  Nice, 
leaving  upon  our  minds  the  impression  of  their  being  two 
of  the  most  agreeable,  well-informed,  unaffected  young 
men  that  we  have  met  with  for  an  age,  to  say  nothing  of 
their  distinguished  military  merit  and  ah1  they  have  both 


*  Prince  Louis  died,  unmarried,  in  1833.  Prince  Maurice  died  in  1819, 
leaving  three  daughters  now  living — Princess  L.  Schwartz  enburg  and  two 
Princesses  Lobkovitz. 


1803]  MADAME   DE   STAEL'S   DELPHINE.  233 

suffered,  for  their  Emperor  and  their  country  in  the  late 
war.  They  constituted  our  constant  every-day  society 
for  the  last  fortnight  of  our  stay  at  Nice ;  for  though  they 
both  occupied  themselves  much  in  the  morning,  they  took 
long  rides  with  us  in  the  afternoon,  and  came  to  us  every 
evening.  Never  idle,  desceuvres,  or  wanting  to  get  rid  of 
time  themselves,  I  never  lived  in  intimacy  with  any  young 
men  so  never  a  charge  as  with  them.  I  quit  Nice  with 
a  regret,  with  a  feeling  of  melancholy,  which  I  hope  I 
shall  ever  experience  at  leaving  any  place  where  I  have 
spent  five  months  quietly  and  comfortably,  to  say  nothing 
of  regretting  its  exquisite  natural  beauties,  which  gained 
upon  me  the  more  I  became  acquainted  with  them.  To 
cease  to  be  in  any  place  where  one  has  been  for  five  months 
together,  always  appears  to  me  a  sort  of  death.  One's 
resurrection  in  the  next  place  to  which  one  means  to  go, 
is  uncertain  as  to  its  equal  comfort,  and  has  seldom  (ex- 
cept under  very  particular  circumstances)  the  charm,  the 
ineffable  charm,  of  intimite. 

A  few  extracts  from  Miss  Berry's  correspondence  at  this 
time  have  been  preserved.  The  two  following  are  from 
letters  addressed  to  her  friend  Mrs.  Darner,  with  Mrs.  D.'s 
reply  to  the  first  :— 

Nice,  Jan.,  1803. 

.  .  .  In  spite  of  my  headache  yesterday,  I  contrived  to  read 
nearly  three  volumes  of  Madame  deStaeTs  Del  phine.  As  I  conclude 
it  is  long  before  this  time  in  London,  I  need  not  tell  you  what  it 
is.  It  is  certainly  interesting — the  great  sine  qua  non  of  a  novel. 
It  is  well  written,  too,  and  there  is  much  nice  observation  of  the 
affections  of  the  human  heart ;  but  much  false  and  incongruous, 
and  still  more,  which  has  only  been  drawn  from,  and  only  applies 
to,  the  corrupted  and  factieux  societies  of  Paris.  What  chiefly 
diverts  me  is  the  portrait  of  herself  (of  her  character,  I  mean), 
under  that  of  Delphine,  which  she  herself,  I  dare  say  believes  is 
a  striking  likeness,  and  likely  to  do  her  immortal  honour !  The 
attempt,  nobody  who  knows  her  the  least  can  avoid  seeing ;  but 


234  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

were  it  as  like,  as  it  is  ridiculously  dissimilar  to  her  life  and 
manners,  it  would  be,  by  no  means,  I  should  think,  a  portrait  that 
one  should  choose  to  expose  of  oneself.  Such  pictures  of  the 
passions  I  think  hideous  and  fearful,  instead  of  touching.  Of 
all  the  passions,  I  consider  love  as  that  which  the  least  admits  of 
an  exaggerated  description.  It  is  itself  an  exaggeration,  and  the 
only  method  of  profoundly  interesting  Sesames  vraimentsensibles 
is  to  keep  the  expression  of  it  subdued,  and  to  leave  much  to  the 
mind  of  your  reader.  How  differently  has  Eousseau  treated  a 
great  passion,  and  a  passion  which  leaves  a  ten  times  deeper 
impression  of  its  violence  on  my  mind,  than  all  the  so-often 
repeated  struggles  of  Leonie  and  Delphine ;  while  the  perfect 
and  admirable  friendship  which  he  contrasts  with  it,  speaks  peace 
and  consolation  to  the  suffering  mind,  and  points  out  the  true 
and  only  resource  of  a  cceur  aimant  against  the  delirium  of 
passion. 

London,  Feb.  1803. 

.  .  .  You  will  see  how  much  we  agree  about  Delphine, 
and  how  much  we  have  both  thought  it  worth  occupying  a  por- 
tion of  the  alas !  small  sides  of  paper  a  letter  can  consist  of,  or 
time  be  found  to  fill  it.  Delphine  is  certainly  not  an  exact  por- 
trait of  Madame  de  Stae'l  in  all  senses ;  but  I  think  it  quite 
curious  to  see  the  soul  (as  I  think  it  here  does)  of  a  person, 
certainly  one  of  genius,  pervading  a  whole  book,  for  so  it  is,  — 
ideas,  opinions,  passions  all. 

You  do  not  know  how  much  I  admire  what  you  say  on  love, 
her  love,  I  mean.  I  have  ever  with  you  thought  such  descrip- 
tions of  that  passion  put  me  in  mind  of  the  wrong  end  of  a 
magnet  being  placed  to  the  point  of  steel.  But  Delphine  and 
Leonie  will  clatter  through  the  world  and  carry  crowds  in  their 
vortex.  The  more  they  are  abused,  the  more  they  will  be  fol- 
lowed and  studied,  and  even  admired. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  of  Miss  Berry's 
very  young  correspondent,  Lord  Hartington,*  then  only 
thirteen  years  old,  will  not  be  without  interest  as  to  passing 
events  : — 

*  William  Spencer  Cavendish,  Marquess  of  Hartington,  born  1790,  suc- 
ceeded his  father  as  sixth  Duke  of  Devonshire,  1811. 


1803]  LETTER   FROM   LORD   HARTIXGTON.  235 

Devonshire  House,  Jan.  30,  1803. 

You  cannot  think,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  how  much  pleasure 
your  letter  gave  me ;  everything  you  can  say  about  Nice  will 
be  news  to  me,  as  I  have  never  had  any  correspondent  there.  .  .  . 
I  envy  you  very  much  upon  your  tall  personable  beast  on  the 
mountains,  whilst  we  (poor  souls  !)  are  shivering  in  great  coats 
by  the  fireside.  We  are  certainly  to  go  to  Paris  this  summer. 
Perhaps  we  shall  meet  you  there  on  your  way  back.  .  .  . 
I  will,  if  you  like  it,  write  a  newspaper  for  you  every  week. 
You  can  stop  them  as  soon  as  you  like.  .  .  .  Lord  and  Lady 
Abercorn  have  had  a  play  at  the  Priory.  It  was  '  Who 's  the 
Dupe?'  and  'The  Wedding  Day.'  It  was  very  well  acted. 
Lady  Cahir  *  acted  Lady  Contest.  The  other  actors  were  Pen  f 
and  George  Lamb,}  Lawrence, §  the  two  Mr.  Maddocks, |j  Lady 
Charlotte  Lindsay,H"  Miss  Butler  and  Mrs.  Kemble.**  Mamma 
and  my  sister  were  there.  There  was  no  room  for  poor  me  :  I 
should  like  to  have  been  there  very  much. 

Andreossi  came  here  the  other  night,  and  talked  a  great  deal 
about  Bonaparte,  and  defended  his  cruelty  in  Egypt,  which  is 
mentioned  in  Wilson's  book  on  the  war  there.  He  said  that  it 
was  not  true  that  he  had  ordered  all  the  wounded  to  be  killed, 
for  they  took  away  numbers,  and  those  few  who  were  killed, 
were  past  recovery,  and  that  he  did  it  out  of  humanity.  My 
aunt  Besborough  is  to  set  out  from  Paris  the  6th  of  next  month. 
Moreau  has  been  to  see  her ;  he  makes  no  scruples  of  disap- 
pro.Ing  of  the  present  government.  My  aunt  asked  him  if  he 
was  not  afraid  of  Bonaparte  killing  him,  upon  which  he  said — 
*  Bonaparte  est  un  tyran  mais  pas  un  assassin.'  He  said  that 

*  Lady  Cahir,  afterwards  Countess  of  Glengall. 

t  Hon.  Penistone  Lamb,  son  of  Penistone,  first  Lord  Melbourne,  and 
Elizabeth  Milbanke,  daughter  of  Sir  Ralph  Milbanke  :  died  1805. 

t  Hon.  George  Lamb,  his  brother,  died  1834. 

§  Lawrence  (Sir  Thos.),  the  celebrated  artist. 

||  The  two  Mr.  Maddocks  (brothers),  Kentish  gentlemen,  well  known  in 
society  at  this  time.  The  name  is  preserved  in  North  Wales,  where,  near 
Bethgellert,  a  harbour  was  constructed  by  the  elder  brother,  called  Port 
Maddock. 

^[  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay,  daughter  of  the  second  Earl  of  Guildford, 
eighth  Lord  North  j  married  Lieut.-Col.  the  Hon.  John  Lindsay,  1800 ; 
died  1849. 

**  Mrs.  Brereton,  daughter  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  prompter  at  Drury  Lane; 
married  to  John  Kemble,  the  great  tragedian,  1787. 


236  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

he  was  not  afraid  of  his  banishing  him,  for  he  had  the  hearts 
of  all  the  army,  and  that  he  did  not  dare.  ...  I  am  afraid 
you  will  be  sadly  tired  with  this  long  scrawl :  I  will  write  some- 
thing more  substantial  when  I  get  some  news  ;  in  the  meantime, 
I  remain  yours,  ever  affectionately, 

HARTINGTON. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Sir  Harry  Englefield  to  Miss  Ben^y. 

Feb.  18,  1803. 

.  .  .  I  have  lived  in  town  now  over  a  month,  as  if  I  had 
been  at  Nice  or  Pekin,  and  knowing  little  more  of  the  world 
here  than  you  do.  I  have  seen  Lady  Hertford  once,  but  heard 

very  little,  except  that  General  Andreossi  asked  Lady  Anne  B • 

who  Miss  Gribbes  was,  and  was  answered — *  C'est  la  sozur  de  loi 
du  grand  parleur.'  *  Some  good  French  is  also  told  of  the 
Duchess  of  Gordon,  f  who  is  giving  continual  balls  and  fetes  at 
Paris.  ...  I  hear  that  Lady  Palm.J  is  in  very  good  health,  and 
when  she  sees  her  friends,  which  is  but  seldom,  very  tolerably 
cheerful.  Lord  Minto  saw  her  the  other  day  at  Broadlands,§ 
which,  by-the-bye,  has  had  a  narrow  escape  from  fire.  The 
furniture  of  one  bedchamber  was  quite  burnt.  Sotheby  medi- 
tates a  religious  poem,  with  a  reasonable  spice  of  metaphysics 
in  it.  As  your  roads  are  bad,  I  shall  not  attempt  to  send  it 
except  by  sea,  and  then  I  rather  apprehend  it  may  bring  the 
ships  into  a  scrape,  like  Lord  Elgin's  brig  which  went  down  near 
the  Island  of  Cythera,  laden  with  marble  from  the  temples  of 
Minerva  and  Theseus,  and  all  the  journals  and  drawings  made  in 
the  Morea  by  these  gentlemen  who  had  surveyed  the  Thermo- 
pylea  and  Platea,  and  a  thousand  places  untrodden  by  European 
Christian  feet  for  many  centuries ;  the  event  is  really  a  calamity 
to  all  lovers  of  art  and  science.  We  Grecians  have  a  new  feast, 
however.  Aplay  of  Euripides  or  Sophocles  or  of  their  time  (really 
and  truly)  has  been  discovered  at  Moscow,  and  parts  of  it  are 

*  Miss  Gibbes  was  sister-in-law  to  the  Right  Hon.  Charles  Abbot  (after- 
wards first  Lord  Colchester),  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

t  Jane  Maxwell,  Duchess  of  Gordon,  called  by  Horace  Walpole  one  of 
the  empresses  of  fashion. 

J  Mary,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Mee,  Esq.,  married  Henry,  second  Vis- 
count Palmerston,  1783  ;  died  1805.  Lord  Palmerston  died  1802. 

§  The  seat  of  Lord  Palmerston,  in  Hants. 


1803]  DISCOVERY   OP  ANCIENT  MSS.  237 

already  arrived  here.  Dr.  Burney  has  seen  it,  and  has  no  doubt 
qf  its  authenticity.*  Then  a  Mr.  Clarke  has  collected  most 
curious  MSS.  in  the  Levant,  and  brought  them  safe  home.  A 
Plato  of  the  ninth  century,  and  several  ancient  songs  with  their 
music.f  I  suppose  the  street  organs  -will  soon  be  playing 
Sappho's  'Lamentation,'  Anacreon's  '  Fancy,'  Tyrtaeus'  'March,' 
and  Erinna's  '  Hornpipe.'  A  propos  of  this,  I  suppose  you 
know  that  in  the  '  Mysteres  d'Isis,'  at  Paris,  there  is  an  entire 
ballet  copied  from  the  '  Obelisks  '  —  all  the  dancers  are 


You  know  how  I  respect  Agnes'  pencil.  I  am  most  happy  to 
hear  that  she  continues  to  work  ;  I  am  sure  she  will  improve, 
for  every  touch  gives  power  to  the  next.  I  wish  you  would  lay 
aside  your  chalk,  and  take  to  black-lead  ;  for  chalk  is  a  grimy 
business,  and  at  best  is  bad,  and  at  worst  is  detestable.  If  you 
would  take  pains,  you  would  do  extremely  well.  .  .  .  My 
neighbours  here  J  go  on  most  lovingly.  Their  affection  seems 
to  grow  with  their  growth,  and  fatten  with  their  fat.  He  and 


*  No  trace  of  this  play  is  to  be  found.  Whether  the  MS.  which  Dr. 
Burney  saw  proved  to  he  a  fraud  or  a  mistake  must  now  he  doubtful.  Miss 
Berry's  correspondent  was  not  likely  to  have  heen  misinformed  as  to  some 
such  supposed  MS.  having  heen  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Burney,  with  whom 
Miss  Berry  and  her  friends  were  well  acquainted.  The  highest  authorities 
at  Oxford,  Cambridge,  and  the  British  Museum,  to  which  may  be  added  the 
name  of  Mr.  Grote  (all  powerful  on  such  subjects)  declare  that  no  such  play 
exists  to  their  knowledge,  and  no  record  of  any  such  discovery  at  Moscow. 
In  1782  an  Homeric  Hymn  to  Ceres  was  discovered  at  Moscow ;  and  a  large 
fragment  of  a  play  of  Euripides  was  found  at  Paris  by  Bekkar  in  1821 ;  but 
neither  of  these  discoveries  throws  any  light  upon  the  work  supposed  to 
have  been  sent  here  in  1803. 

t  In  a  letter  addressed  by  Dr.  Edward  Daniel  Clarke  to  the  Rev.  Robert 
Matthews,  dated  1802,  he  enumerates  the  various  MSS.  he  has  got : — '  In 
Greek  I  have  the  works  of  Plato,  the  Lexicon  of  St.  Cyril,  a  volume  of 
Greek  poems,  and  two  works  on  Ancient  Music.' — Life  of  Edward  D.  Clarke, 
by  Wm.  Otter,  p.  517.  In  a  letter  from  Dr.  Clarke  he  says,  '  Person  is 
all  rapture  and  joy  about  the  Plato  ...  he  says  it  may  be  considered  as 
equivalent  to  the  combined  authorities  of  any  two  known  MSS.' —  Ibid. 
p.  560. 

It  was  in  the  Monastery  of  St.  John,  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  that  these 
MSS.  were  discovered,  and  are  now  deposited  in  the  Bodleian  Library, 
Oxford. 

Prince  of  Wales  and  Mrs.  Fitzherbert. 


238  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

0}d  Q *  attended  a  lecture  the  other  day,  read  by  a  Professor 

Aldini,  on  a  hanged  house-breaker.  Galvanism  made  the  dead 
man  open  his  eyes  and  grin  extremely :  they  had  a  noble  end 
in  view,  but  alas !  the  doctor  gave  them  no  hopes.  .  .  . 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Miss  Berry,  but  no  mention  of 
the  name  of  her  correspondent : — 

Nice,  Feb.,  1803. 

All  general  principles  of  government  of  moral  conduct,  of 
all  species  of  reciprocal  duties,  must  all  be  referable  to  the 
instincts  of  nature  and  to  moral  truth. 

These  general  principles,  immutable,  invariable  as  the  Being 
from  whom  they  emanate,  are  to  be  modified  in  their  appli- 
cation to  general  use,  or  individual  commerce.  Thus  in  govern- 
ments, or  associations  of  men,  the  safety  of  the  whole  is  to  be 
purchased  by  the  loss  or  danger  of  some  individuals — that  is  to 
say,  a  power  of  protection,  and  consequently  of  punishment  is 
to  be  placed  somewhere.  From  the  nature  of  man,  punishment 
will  be  sometimes  misplaced,  and  protection  will  be  sometimes 
abused,  but  still  the  principles  upon  which  both  act  may  be 
true,  consequently  just.  For  justice  is  nothing  else  but  moral 
truth. 

Try  all  human  institutions,  the  principle  of  all  govern- 
ments, all  commercial  regulations  by  this  rule,  and  it  is  easy 
to  convince  oneself  of  its  certainty,  not  by  what  may  ~be  built 
upon  it,  but  what  has  been  experienced,  from  it.  Try  by  this 
rule/ the  English  government,  the  former  French  government, 
the  present.  The  principle  of  the  first  (the  English  govern- 
ment), both  in  its  civil  and  criminal  administration,  will  be 
found  in  perfect  consonance  with  the  above  rule.  See  then,  in 
spite  of  the  perversity  of  human  nature,  the  incapacity  of 
ministers,  the  nullities  of  kings,  the  contagion  of  neighbouring 
corruption,  what  it  has  resisted !  how  it  has  survived  the 
general  stroke  of  Europe  !  what  powers  of  self-preservation  and 
regeneration  it  has  within  itself! 

The  former  French  government,  in  its  original  principles,  in 
its  tacit  agreement  between  the  governors  and  the  governed, 
was  in  opposition  to  every  point  of  moral  truth.  In  vain  were 

*  Duke  of  Queensborough. 


1803]  EXTRACTS   FROM   MISS   BERRY'S   LETTERS.  239 

its  natural  advantages — in  vain  the  character  of  some  few  bril- 
liant princes — the  virtues  of  many  distinguished  citizens — with 
everything  that  could,  in  fact,  contribute  to  its  natural  tout- 
puissance.  By  the  falseness  of  principle  in  all  its  institutions, 
and  in  its  whole  organisation,  its  former  history  presents  nothing 
to  the  eye  of  philosophy  but  a  wretched  combat  between 
depravity  and  folly.  Look  at  its  present  history,  that  mar- 
vellous page  now  open  under  our  eyes,  the  same  negligence  of 
moral  truth  in  all  the  various  pretended  constitutions. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  a  friend. 

Nice,  March,  1803. 

I  am  reading  over  for  the  fiftieth  time,  I  believe,  the  letters 
of  Madame  de  Sevigne.  They  always  improve  on  me,  and  are 
here  particularly  interesting.  Here,  where  her  immediate 
descendants  still  remain ;  here,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  so 
many  of  her  scenes  of  action,  her  Provenpal  phrases,  and  the 
things  to  which  she  so  often  reverts.  Do  you  know  her  as  much 
by  heart  as  you  ought  to  do  ?  It  is  amazing  how  constantly  her 
dme  aimante,  and  all  the  various  expressions  it  dictates,  puts 
me  in  mind  of  yours.  It  is  the  same  manner  of  thinking  and 
feeling  for  everything  that  has  to  do  with  what  she  loves.  In 
short,  it  is  the  true  pre-occupation  and  interest  of  real  affection, 
that  first  and  best  of  sentiments  !  more  tender  than  friendship, 
more  sure,  more  composed,  more  satisfying  than  love. 

Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  Mrs.  Oreathead  at  Paris. 

Nice,  Tuesday,  March  22,  1803. 

.  .  .  I  have  the  pleasure  of  receiving  your  letter  of  the 
llth,  which  makes  me  forget  everything  but  a  wish  to  hear  and 
see  more  of  friends  for  whom,  believe  me,  no  silence,  nor  no 
absence  can  ever  cool  our  affection,  or  even  lessen  our  interest. 

The  account  you  give  of  Paris  is  such  as  I  expected  from 
what  I  myself  saw  of  it  last  year.  Had  we  been  all  there 
together,  I  venture  to  flatter  myself,  you  would  have  liked  it 
much  better  than  either  of  us  should  separately.  As  it  is,  we 
have  given  up  all  thoughts  of  it  when  we  leave  this  place.  .  .  . 


240  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

I  am  always  desirous  to  enjoy  any  part  of  what  remains  to  me 
of  life  by  passing  it  in  the  society  of  such  friends  as  yourselves. 
Do,  then,  think  of  spending  a  part  of  the  summer  with  us  in 
Switzerland.  I  have  only  mentioned  Lausanne  or  Geneva  as 
the  two  places  we  all  best  know.  But  anywhere,  where  you 
think  you  could  be  comfortable,  I  am  sure  we  could  make  our- 
selves so.  I  think  I  may  venture  to  say  we  are  not  bad  at  this, 
and  at  lieing  that  sort  of  society,  the  only  really  enjoyable  to 
rational  people.  I  think  we  have  in  some  degree  proved  this 
here,  where  we  found  nothing  but  a  parcel  of  English,  none  of 
whom  we  knew,  never  meeting  of  an  evening,  nor  in  any  other 
way  than  in  giving  each  other  English  dinners  at  English  hours, 
and  declaring,  and  positively  believing,  there  was  no  society  of 
any  kind  to  be  had  at  Nice.  We  could  not  believe  this,  and 
soon  found  out  the  contrary ;  made  some  very  agreeable  Nice 
acquaintance ;  declared  off  from  the  very  first  the  English 
dinners,  which  my  father's  age  and  habits  of  life  enabled  us 
without  offence  to  do.  Made  a  soiree  about  once  a  week  for 
our  Nice  friends,  some  of  whom  are  musical  and  all  play  cards ; 
gave  them  a  good  supper,  and  soon  found  all  the  English  most 
willing  and  pleased  to  be  asked  to  our  parties,  which  have  cer- 
tainly been  the  best  thing  here  in  the  way  of  society,  and  have 
been  once  or  twice  gay  enough  to  end  in  a  little  impromptu 
dance. 

1  have  now  only  to  add,  that  my  health  is  so  improved  by 
the  winter  I  have  passed  here,  that  I  am  a  different  creature 
from  what  you  have  seen  me  for  the  last  two  years  in  England, 
and  am  capable  of  enjoying  not  only  society,  but  long  courses 
in  the  exquisitely  beautiful  mountains  which  surround  this 
place.  Agnes  has  been  drawing  a  great  deal.  We  long  to 
see  Bertie*  and  all  his  wonderful  works.  .  . 

To  Mrs.  Greathead,  Paris. 


*  Mr.  Bertie  Greathead  (junior)  evinced  in  boyhood  an  ardent  taste  for 
pictorial  art,  portraits,  and  historical  pieces  of  great  merit.  He  visited 
France  during  the  short  peace,  for  the  purpose  of  improving  his  judgment 
in  his  favourite  pursuit ;  and  when  others  were  made  prisoners,  Napoleon 
permitted  him  to  retire  to  Italy  ;  he  was  there  seized  with  a  fever,  and  died 
in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  life. 


1803]  LETTER   FROM   MRS.    HOWE.  241 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Howe. 

March  10, 1803. 

.  .  .  Another  very  great  death  happened  on  Tuesday  morn- 
ing— that  of  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater.  What  I  am  going  to  write 
will  show  what  an  immense  property  he  has  left  behind  him. 
He  has  given  about  30,000£.  a-year  landed  estate  to  General 
Egerton  (now  Earl  of  Bridgewater),  and  600,000£.  in  money,  all 
this  in  his  own  disposal ;  and  40,000£.  to  his  brother,  who  is,  I 
believe,  a  clergyman.  To  Lady  Louisa  Macdonald  and  Lady 
Ann  Vernon  each  10,OOQ£.  To  Lord  Grower  he  leaves  the  navi- 
gation, that  is,  the  income  of  it ;  the  management  of  the  con- 
cern being  put  in  trustees'  hands ;  his  house  in  town  all  strictly 
entailed  (but  to  him  for  his  life),  the  pictures,  library,  &c.,  as 
heir-looms,  and  then  to  his  second  and  younger  sons  suc- 
cessively, and  their  sons,  excluding  whoever  may  be  Marquis  of 
Stafford ;  his  intention  being  to  make  a  new  family,  for  who- 
ever has  it  is  to  take  the  name  of  Egerton.  Lord  Gower's  sons 
failing,  it  goes  through  a  long  specified  entail  to  the  sons  of  his 
three  nieces.  .  .  .  Besides  Lord  Carlisle's  and  Lady  Louisa's 
younger  sons,  Lady  Ann  Vernon  has  eight  or  nine.  The  navi- 
gation is  reckoned  a  clear  74,OOOZ.  a-year  ;  the  last  year  it 
produced  80,0001.,  and  is  supposed  to  be  improving. 

The  same. 

April  10, 1803. 

Lord  Gower  sells  his  present  habitation,  and  makes  the  late 
Duke  of  Bridgewater's  his  town  residence ;  first  building  a  fine 
drawing  and  eating-room,  &c.  to  the  park,  raised  to  the  height 
of  the  picture  gallery  and  library,  and  moves  the  stables  to 
Cleveland  Court;  then  over  the  coach  narrow  way  called 
Katharine-wheel  Yard  he  throws  a  bridge,  which  leads  to  his 
garden  in  the  Green  Park ;  it  will  be  a  very  complete  business 
when  finished. 

The  same. 

Thursday,  May  19,  1803. 

In  our  present  situation  with  France,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  an 
impatience  to  run  over  the  papers  relative  to  all  that  has  passed 
between  the  two  (alas !)  adverse  kingdoms  since  the  treaty  of 
Amiens,  which  were  laid  before  the  House  of  Commons  yesterday, 

VOL.  II.  R 


242  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

is  a  natural  impulse.  ...  As  a  war  is  now  in  a  manner 
begun,  I  guess  it  may  cause  you  and  yours  to  leave  Geneva 
very  quickly,  therefore  am  unwilling  to  defer  till  next  week 
writing  my  grateful  thanks  for  your  last  finished  the  29th  of 
April ;  and  calculating  I  have  half-an-hour  to  spare,  before  I 
need  dress  for  the  Queen's  ball  (her  natural  birthday),  I  am 
glad  to  seize  it,  and  thus  make  a  beginning.  ...  Lord 
Whitworth  arrived  in  town  last  night,  and  probably  General 
Andreossi  landed  at  Calais  several  hours  ago.  The  King  was 
at  the  little  theatre  in  the  Hay  market  Tuesday  evening,  and 
was  received  in  the  most  flattering  manner  — '  God  save  the 
King,'  'Eule  Britannia,'  and  every  allusion  to  the  present 
moment  that  could  be  seized  upon,  met  the  highest  applause. 

4  o'clock,  Friday,  May  20. 

I  need  not  say  I  am  very  well,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  when  I 
tell  you  I  was  not  in  bed  till  five  this  morning,  and  not  in  any 
manner  discomposed  or  too  much  tired ;  but  of  course  not  up  by 
cock-crow.  .  .  .  Lady  Douglas  was  at  the  ball,  but  neither 
of  her  daughters ;  no  one  below  the  rank  of  earl's  daughters  and 
peeresses  were  there,  except  myself  and  one  living  in  the  house, 
and  the  attendant  upon  the  Princess  Sophia  of  Gloucester. 


JOUENAL. 

Wednesday,  May  kth. — Left  Cannes  for  Muy.  The 
morning,  rain  fell  before  we  began  to  mount  the  Estrelles. 
The  new-fallen  rain  had  laid  the  dust,  and  refreshed  all 
the  beautiful  shrubs  with  which  the  sides  of  the  road  are 
covered ;  the  air  was  mild  and  calm,  heavy  clouds  hung 
upon  the  tops  of  all  the  mountains,  and  a  solemn  stillness 
pervaded  the  whole  landscape,  which,  together  with  the 
wild  and  uninhabited  look  of  these  hills,  gave  it  a  most 
impressive  character. 

Thursday,  5th. — At  Flassans  they  gave  us  five  miserable, 
weak  horses,  which,  on  a  hill  by  no  means  steep,  abso- 
lutely refused  to  draw.  In  vain  the  postilions  swore 
they  would  go  on  very  well ;  in  vain  they  strove  to  make 


1803]  FLASSAXS.  243 

them  move,  and,  while  they  were  half  murdering  them 
with  blows,  wished  us  to  sit  in  the  carriage.  That  was 
impossible ;  we  all  got  out,  in  one  of  the  most  pouring 
rains  I  ever  saw  or  felt.  There  was  a  wretched  peasant's 
hovel  a  little  way  off  the  road,  to  which  we  made  as  fast 
as  the  wind  and  rain  would  allow  us.  Here,  in  a  sort  of 
stable,  I  wanted  to  stay  till  the  horses  were  up  the  hill. 
They  moved  on  a  little,  and  the  postilions  hallooed  to  us 
to  get  in.  Again  the  horses  would  not  move ;  again  they 
were  assommes  de  coups ;  again  we  got  out,  and  again  we 
made  for  our  hovel,  where  we  in  vain  endeavoured  to 
make  the  peasants  lend  or  find  some  horses  to  help  us. 
They  had  none  themselves,  and  the  moment  they  knew  it 
was  the  post,  nobody  would  interfere  or  stir  a  foot.  At 
last  the  wretched  beasts  moved  up  the  hill,  and  we  were 
obliged,  dripping  wet,  to  follow  them,  the  wind  and  rain 
more  violent  than  ever.  The  people  told  us  there  was  an 
inn  on  the  top  of  the  hill ;  we  insisted  on  the  postilions 
stopping  tj?ere,  meaning  to  change  our  wet  clothes,  warm 
ourselves,  and  again  try  to  persuade  them  to  seek  other 
horses ;  but  in  none  of  these  points  did  we  succeed.  The 
inn  was  a  wretched  grenier,  with  one  fireplace,  round 
which  a  great  number  of  noisy,  strange,  low  sort  of  men 
were  sitting,  who  seemed  very  little  disposed  to  make 
room  for  us, — one  man  especially,  who  seemed  a  friend 
of  the  postilions,  was  particularly  anxious  to  assure  us  we 
could  get  nothing  there,  and  to  force  us  out  of  the  house. 
We  were  literally  wet  to  the  skin,  and  our  dripping  great 
coats  made  the  bottom  of  the  coach  so  wet  that  no  partial 
change  could  be  of  use.  The  postilions  positively  refused 
to  go  on  to  Brignolles  for  other  horses,  and  nobody  else 
would  stir,  though  we  offered  to  bribe  them  all.  At  last, 
after  losing  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  we  were  forced  to 
get  again  into  the  carriage,  with  small  hopes  of  being 
dragged  over  the  very  bad  road  before  us,  when  fortu- 
nately we  met  the  cabriolet  of  the  post,  with  which  we 


244  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

changed  horses,  and  at  last  arrived  at  Brignolles,  and  were 
not  the  least  the  worse  for  this  thorough  wetting,  and 
sitting  in  wet  clothes,  which  is  so  often  supposed  to  be  an 
unavoidable  cause  of  all  sorts  of  ills. 

Friday,  Qth. — It  rained  ah1  night,  and  continued  with 
very  short  intervals  the  whole  day.  Between  Brignolles 
and  La  Grande  Pugere  my  father  and  I  walked  a  great 
part  of  the  way.  One  part  was  the  worst  and  most  dan- 
gerous of  the  road  from  Nice  to  Aix,  not  excepting  the 
Estrelles.  Arrived  at  Aix  in  a  pouring  rain,  at  seven 
o'clock. 

Saturday,  1th. — The  incessant  pouring  rain  determined 
us  to  stay  at  Aix  all  day.  We  never  stirred  out  of  the 
hotel,  and  amused  ourselves  in  the  evening,  when  it  began 
to  grow  fair,  with  drawing  from  the  window. 

Sunday,  8th. — Left  Aix.  We  saw  a  cart  embourbe 
when  we  passed  St.  Cannat  in  the  winter,  and  we  found 
another  one  in  the  same  situation  now.  The  people  com- 
plain of  their  roads,  but  are  firmly  convinced  that  the  very 
next  week  they  are  to  be  thoroughly  repaired, — and  so 
they  were  six  months  ago.  Bonaparte's  government  is 
not  one  to  repair  roads  for  people  who  can  do  so  well 
upon  the  promise  only  of  better  ones. 

Between  the  Font-National  and  Orgon  is  a  large  hand- 
some chateau  and  park,  belonging  to  a  Mr.  du  Lubron 
(or  some  such  name).  The  park,  which  is  very  large,  has 
been  laid  open  in  the  days  of  the  Eevolution,  and  many 
fine  trees  have  been  cut  down  and  are  still  lying  there. 
The  postilion  was  anxious  to  tell  me  that  the  owner  lived 
at  another  chateau  in  the  neighbourhood,  probably  of  a 
very  different  sort  from  this,  which  is  really  a  fine  country- 
seat.  We  arrived  at  Avignon  on  a  very  fine  evening  ;  it 
was  Sunday,  and  all  the  public  walks  upon  the  outside  of 
the  walls  were  full  of  gay,  cheerful-looking  people ;  but  I 
lost  all  the  pleasure  I  should  otherwise  have  received  from 
such  a  scene,  by  Agnes  being  extremely  unwell. 


1803]  AVIGNOX.  245 

Avignon,  though  situated  in  a  plain,  presents  itself  well 
from  the  number  of  high  buildings,  towers,  &c.,  enclosed 
within  it,  and  from  the  extraordinary  beauty  of  its  walls, 
which  are  in  as  perfect  repair  and  look  as  new  as  if  they 
had  just  been  built. 

Monday^  $th. — Left  Avignon.  The  road  to  Douzere 
is  along  the  valley  of  the  Ehone,  and  often  near  its  banks, 
but  the  country  on  both  sides  looks  much  less  beautiful 
from  the  road  than  from  the  river, — and  from  the  river 
I  sincerely  hope  never  to  contemplate  its  beauties  again  ! 
There  are  no  olives  north  of  Avignon  ;  from  there  to 
Lorques  the  road  is  through  rich  pastures  and  comfort- 
able looking  villages.  On  this  great  Lyons  and  Mar- 
seilles road  I  observed  that  between  every  post  we  had 
three  stops,  one  to  change  horses  with  some  other  car- 
riage, and  two  for  the  breaking  of*  traces.  Between 
Mornas  and  La  Palisse  we  met  the  Turkish  Ambassador 
and  his  suite,  in  two  carriages  with  six  horses  each,  upon 
whom  our  postilions  in  vain  exerted  all  their  eloquence 
to  allow  t^hem  to  change  horses,  and  then  revenged  them- 
selves by  declaring  '  qu'ils  etaient  des  coquins,  des  voleurs, 
des  Turcs ; '  though  it  was  two  Frenchmen  in  the  first 
carriage,  with  the  Ambassador,  who  absolutely  refused 
changing ;  for  the  Turks,  as  may  be  supposed,  knew  nothing 
about  the  matter. 

At  Orange  we  were  detained,  and  employed  our  time 
most  agreeably  in  examining  the  Arch  of  Triumph,* 
which  stands  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  present  road, 
just  out  of  the  town.  It  is  much  more  beautiful  than  I 
had  formerly  thought ;  and  though  it  may  have  been 
overcharged  with  ornaments,  they  are  so  beautifully 
worked,  the  Corinthian  columns  are  in  such  beautiful 
proportion,  and  the  end  which  has  not  been  built  against 

*  The  date  and  destination  of  this  arch  are  unknown;  the  received 
opinion  at  present  refers  it  to  the  reign  of  Marcus  Aurelius  and  to  his  suc- 
cesses on  the  Danube  and  in  Germany. — See  Murray's  Handbook. 


246  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

gives  such  a  high  idea  of  the  sculpture  of  the  Dacian  and 
other  captive  figures  with  which  it  was  adorned,  as  makes 
it  still  a  fine  example  of  Eoman,  or  rather  Grecian,  archi- 
tecture. 

A  part  of  the  wall  of  the  amphitheatre*  appears  on 
entering  the  town,  but  all  beauty  is  now  destroyed  by  its 
being  filled  and  built  up  with  poor  mean  houses. 

Tuesday,  Wth. — Came  in  sight  of  the  Rhone ;  continued 
for  the  most  part  along  its  bank.  At  Valence  I  thought 
I  had  remembered  the  fronton  of  a  very  fine  Gothic 
church,  and  went  in  search  of  it,  but  in  its  beauty  I  was 
quite  disappointed.  It  is  a  plain,  unornamented,  large 
Gothic  church,  with  no  fine  front;  but  in  a  side  chapel  of 
the  middle  aisle,  hung  with  black  cloth  or  paper,  all 
dropped  with  tears,  are  deposited  the  heart  and  entrails 
of  Pius  VI.,  the  poor  pope  who,  after  being  expelled  Rome 
by  the  French,  and  dragged  about  from  one  town  to 
another,  at  last  died  at  Valence,  1799.  Over  the  door  of 
the  chapel  is  written,  '  Ici  repose  le  coeur  et  les  entrailles 
du  Pape  Pie  VI.'  They  are  in  a  box  set  upon  a  high  stool 
in  the  middle  of  the  chapel,  the  whole  covered  with  black 
velvet,  and  a  triple  crown  embroidered  upon  it.  Upon 
examining  the  church  we  found  they  had  at  first  been 
placed  in  a  less  conspicuous  situation,  in  a  retired,  out-of- 
the-way  chapel,  and  in  a  sort  of  wooden  painted  sarcopha- 
gus, still  bearing  an  inscription  which  marked  what  it  had 
been :  '  Ici  sont  deposes  le  coeur  et  les  entrailles  de 
Pie  VI.' f 

As  soon  as  we  turned  off  the  great  Lyons  road  at 
Valence,  and  took  that  of  Grenoble,  the  surrounding 

*  The  interior  has  been  cleared  of  the  miserable  hovels  which  filled  it, 
and  whose  tenants  in  some  instances,  burrowing  like  moles,  had  formed 
cellars  in  the  thickness  of  the  walls,  regardless  of  the  risk  of  undermining 
it  and  of  being  buried  in  its  ruins.  The  removal  of  a  hundred  of  these 
cabins  now  enables  the  spectators  to  judge  of  the  arrangement  of  the  scene 
on  its  inner  face. — Murray's  Handbook. 

t  The  church  contains  a  bust  and  bas-relief  by  Canova,  to  the  memory  of 
Pope  Pius  VI. — See  Murray's  Handbook. 


1803]  ROMANS.  247 

country  became  much  more  beautiful.  The  cultivation 
between  Valence  and  Eomans  is  remarkable ;  the  vines 
for  the  most  part  are  on  espaliers,  round  cornfields,  and 
sometimes  in  a  double  row,  which  gives  to  every  field 
the  look  of  what  used  to  be  called  in  England  a  ferine 
ornee. 

Romans*  is  a  largish  town,  prettily  situated  on  the 
Isere,  with  a  stone  bridge.  It  has  a  great  appearance 
of  commerce,  bustle,  and  comfort.  Tanning  seems  to  be 
the  principal  trade  here.  Upon  a  small  stream  running 
into  the  Isere  live  a  whole  row  of  tanners  ;  many,  I  fancy, 
employed  in  preparing  the  skins  which  are  to  be  manu- 
factured into  gloves  at  Grenoble. 

Wednesday,  \\th. — From  St.  Marcellin  the  road  beau- 
tiful along  the  valley  of  the  Isere,  with  magnificent  and 
varied  shaped  mountains  on  each  side,  immense  walnut- 
trees  close  by  the  road  and  in  the  fields,  and. the  richest 
cultivation  throughout  the  valley  of  com  and  vines, 
everywhere  trained  upon  echalas  from  either  cherry  or 
maple  treCs,  planted  at  regular  distances,  and  allowed  to 
grow  only  to  a  certain  height. 

At  a  village  beyond,  Tullins,  close  to  a  stone  bridge,  is 
the  largest  growing  tree  I  ever  saw.  It  was  an  elm,  of 
the  sort  general  in  this  countiy,  but  not  the  same  as  that 
in  England.  Between  Tullins  and  Voreppe,  at  a  large 
village,  is  a  fine  French  garden  belonging  to  the  house  of 
a  M.  de  la  Mothe,  of  Grenoble. 

Before  I  leave  the  neighbourhood  of  Romans  I  must 
take  notice  of  an  anecdote  relative  to  its  present  manners, 
or  rather  morals,  told  me  by  the  maid  of  the  inn,  an 
active,  clean,  intelligent  peasant  woman.  There  are  always 

*  At  this  place  the  last  native  prince  of  Dauphine",  Umbert  II.,  having 
lost  his  only  son,  who  leaped  from  his  nurse's  arms  out  of  the  window  of 
the  castle  of  Mezard  into  the  Isere,  and  was  drowned,  signed  his  abdication 
1349,  by  which  he  resigned  his  domains  to  Philip  de  Valois,  on  condition 
that  they  should  be  an  appanage  of  the  heir  to  the  French  crown,  and  that 
he  should  bear  the  title  of  Dauphin. — See  Murray's  Handbook. 


248  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

a  good  many  soldiers  at  Komans,  being  in  a  plentiful 
country.  When  the  last  demi-brigade  of  a  regiment,  whose 
number  I  have  forgotten,  left  the  place  to  make  room  for 
those  we  saw  there,  no  less  than  eighty  young  women  went 
and  declared  their  pregnancy  to  the  municipality  (which 
by  the  present  laws  they  are  obliged  to  do), '  non  compris 
(as  my  informer  said)  les  femmes  qui  appartenaient  aux 
chefs  et  aux  officiers.'  One  need  no  longer  wonder  at  the 
immense  armies  of  France !  She  added  that  numbers  of 
women  accompanied  them  above  a  league  out  of  the  town, 
weeping  and  wailing  at  their  departure,  and  carrying  wine 
and  eatables  for  them. 

Thursday,  12th. — Grenoble  is  a  very  cheerful,  well- 
built,  busy-looking  town,  and  all  the  streets  that  end 
towards  the  river  seem  bouchee  by  the  mountain  which 
rises  directly  behind  the  faubourgs,  covered  with  vines, 
and  crowned  by  an  old  castle  which  formed  part  of  the 
former  fortifications  ;  the  wall  of  the  castle  was  up  the 
steepest  part  of  this  mountain.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
town,  from  the  ramparts  of  the  more  modern  walls,  is  the 
most  extensive  view,  and  is  equally  romantic  and  beau- 
tiful, bounded  by  high  mountains  of  an  endless  variety  of 
outline,  and  on  which  some  snow  always  lies,  but  finely 
wooded  and  cultivated  to  a  great  height. 

In  the  interior  of  Grenoble  considerable  improvements 
are  making ;  such  as  the  pulling  down  a  number  of  build- 
ings near  the  bishop's  residence  and  near  the  prisons  (an 
old  castle-like  building)  to  enlarge  the  spaces  around 
them.  The  intendant's  house,  now  occupied  by  the 
prefet,  faces  a  large  garden  in  the  middle  of  the  town 
open  to  the  public.  The  Palais  de  la  Justice,  formerly 
occupied  by  the  Parliament,  and  now  by  the  present 
courts  of  justice,  is  a  very  old  building  (with  a  fa9ade  of 
about  the  time  of  Francis  I.),  once  the  palace  of  the 
Dauphins,  the  ancient  sovereigns  of  the  country,  annexed 
to  the  Crown  of  France  in  1349.  Why  or  wherefore 


1803]  GRENOBLE.  249 

these  sovereigns  were  called  Dauphins,*  no  tolerably  ra- 
tional or  probable  account  is  given  :  it  is  said  that  in  the 
Middle  Ages  one  of  their  leaders,  who  had  united  and 
possessed  himself  of  several  neighbouring  little  barbarous 
baronies  or  states,  first  called  the  country  Dauphinois  and 
himself  the  Dauphin  of  it,  in  memory  of  a  wife  called 
Delphine,  whom  he  passionately  loved.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  there  are  at  present  in  the  museum  at  Grenoble  four 
or  five  curious  heads  carved  in  marble,  with  a  sort  of 
crown  or  cap  of  state  upon  them,  said  to  be  portraits  of 
the  Dauphins,  and  taken  from  the  inside  of  the  gateway 
to  their  palace. 

In  the  same  Place,  of  which  this  palace  forms  a  part,  is 
a  very  old  church,  called  their  chapel.  It  was  with 
many  others  shut  up  at  the  Eevolution,  and  has  not  been 
opened  since.  The  Eevolution,  however,  was  never 
carried  to  its  most  frightful  excesses  here.  Most  of  the 
families  who  had  emigrated  are  returned.  They  are 
much  satisfied  with  their  prefet,  and  it  is  certainly,  of  all 
the  towns,  I  have  seen  in  France,  that  which  bears  the 
least  marks  of  any  change  for  the  worse.  The  great 
commerce  of  the  place  is  gloves,  of  which  I  fancy  more 
are  made  here  than  in  all  the  rest  of  France.  There  are 
few  glove-shops,  they  being  almost  all  wholesale  dealers. 
The  one  to  whom  we  were  addressed,  however,  a  Mr. 
Morans,  had  a  great  choice  of  every  sort  and  colour  ;  in- 
deed, I  never  saw  so  many  made  gloves  together  before. 
We  paid  (and  I  suppose  we  were  treated  like  English 


*  Dauphin  was  originally  a  title  assumed  by  the  Comtes  de  Viennois, 
from  which  their  territory  was  called  Dauphine".  The  Count  who  first  bore 
the  title  was  Guigues  IV.,  who  died  1142  A..D.  It  is  conjectured  that  the 
name  arose  from  the  figure  of  a  dolphin  as  the  crest  of  his  helmet  or  device 
on  his  shield.  In  1349  Humbert  II.,  the  last  Count  Dauphin,  by  treaty 
with  Philip  VI.  of  France,  sold  his  rights  in  favour  of  Philip's  eldest 
grandson  Charles,  afterwards  Charles  V.  Charles  V.  made  his  eldest  son, 
Charles  VI.,  Dauphin,  although  there  was  no  stipulation  on  the  subject  in 
any  treaty.  His  example  was  followed  by  successive  kings  of  France. 


250  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isoa 

strangers]  33  livres  a-dozen  for  long  gloves,  white  or 
coloured,  and  18  livres  for  habit  gloves.  It  must,  I  fancy, 
be  a  good  trade.  They  give  to  the  women  who  sew  the 
gloves  (in  almost  every  house  in  Grenoble  you  see  women 
thus  employed)  half-a-crown  a  dozen.  For  long  gloves 
it  seems  very  little ;  but,  what  is  much  more  astonishing,  a 
very  good  workwoman  will  sometimes  cut  out  and  make 
six  pairs  in  a  day,  and  commonly  three  or  four  pairs. 

The  museum  at  Grenoble,  one  of  those  established  by 
Government,  is  in  the  former  convent  and  church  of  the 
Jesuits.  The  pictures  and  statues  have  been  but  lately 
brought,  and  are  all  finally  arranged.  The  library  is  that 
which  belonged  to  the  Jesuits.  It  remains  in  the  same 
room,  and  a  very  noble  one  it  is.  The  pictures  in  another 
large  room,  lighted  by  sky-lights,  are  few  of  them  good. 
Two  curious  portraits  of  Henry  IV.  and  the  Constable  de 
Lesdiguieres  and  his  son,  a  little  boy,  afterwards  killed  by 
a  kick  of  a  horse,  brought  from  Vizille*  his  chateau,  about 
three  leagues  from  Grenoble.  They  are  evidently  of  the 
day.  The  statues  are  chiefly  casts  from  the  antique  sent 
from  Paris,  as  were  likewise  most  of  the  pictures.  There 
is  another  room  fitting  up  for  natural  history,  and  another 
for  bronzes  and  antiques.  We  saw  the  museum  on  a 
day  that  it  was  open  to  all  the  world,  and  there  was  a 
number  of  common  people  and  soldiers  walking  about  ; 
and  what  entertained  me  not  a  little  was  an  invalid  soldier, 
who  was  a  sort  of  guard  in  the  room  to  prevent  children, 
&c.,  touching  things,  without  stockings,  and  in  very 
shabby  regimentals,  descanting  as  learnedly  upon  the 
pictures,  which  he  called  Kaffaelle's,  Guido's,  &c.,  as  the 
best-dressed  connoisseurs  could  have  done,  and  seemed 
to  give  perfect  satisfaction  to  his  hearers.  The  weather 
so  cold  that  we  had  fires  in  all  our  rooms. 

*  Chateau  de  Vizille  partly  destroyed  by  fire  in  1825,  was  built  between 
1611  and  1620  by  Lesdiguieres,  the  Protestant  commander  and  governor 
of  Dauphine",  under  Henri  IV. 


1803]  GRENOBLE    TO   CHAMBERY.  251 

Friday,  13th. — Left  Grenoble.  From  thence  to  Lum- 
bin.  On  the  left  is  a  finely-cultivated  bank,  which  rises 
to  the  foot  of  a  ridge  of  abrupt  mountains ;  and  on  the 
right  is  the  Isere,  winding  in  various  doubles  along  this 
rich  and  much-wooded  valley,  the  woods  ascending  about  a 
third  part  up  the  craggy  and  snow-covered  mountains  of 
the  Upper  Dauphine,  which  exhibit  the  greatest  possible 
variety  of  outline.  An  excellent  road  passes  through 
a  number  of  well-built  comfortable-looking  villages,  and 
by  a  number  of  country-houses  with  uncommonly  pretty 
gardens.  Higher  up  upon  the  bank,  and  nearer  the 
abrupt  wall  of  mountain,  is  a  continued  line  of  villages 
and  country-houses,  almost  touching  one  another,  for  a 
distance  of  two  posts  and  a  half  from  Grenoble.  The 
picturesque  cultivation  of  the  vine,  which  I  have  already 
described,  the  quantity  both  of  fruit  and  walnut  trees, 
the  great  population,  the  habitable  look  of  the  houses, 
joined  to  the  romantic  mountains,  which  everywhere 
meet  the  eye  and  bound  the  view,  makes  the  whole  way 
from  Grenoble  to  Lumbin  one  of  the  most  delightful 
succession  of  landscapes  I  remember  to  have  seen.  This 
route  from  Grenoble  to  Chambery,  has  during  the  war 
been  so  little  frequented,  except  by  persons  travelling  en 
voiturier,  that  the  postmaster  told  us  he  and  the  other 
postmasters  had  given  in  their  dismission  six  months 
before,  and  only  remained  till  they  could  do  better,  or 
see  how  matters  would  go  after  the  peace.  Between 
Lumbin  and  Chaparrillan  is  a  very  pretty  small  penta- 
gonal fort,  upon  the  former  confines  of  France  and  Savoy.* 
Throughout  Dauphine  a  number  of  new  houses  are  build- 
ing in  all  the  villages,  and  it  is  impossible  for  any  country 


*  Fort  Barreaux,  built  by  Charles  Emanuel  Duke  of  Savoy,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  a  French  army,  commanded  by  Lesdiguieres.  On  being  reproved 
by  Henri  IV.  for  allowing  this  to  happen,  he  promised  to  capture  it  when 
finished.  He  kept  his  word,  surprising  the  fort  by  moonlight,  1598.  It  was 
afterwards  strengthened  by  Vauban. — Murray's  Handbook. 


252  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

to  bear  more  evident  marks  of  thriving,  of  great  popula- 
tion, and  of  admirable  cultivation.  Chambery  seemed 
neither  the  better  nor  the  worse  for  its  '  Frenchification.' 
The  palace,  which  I  had  seen  formerly,  was  burnt  down  a 
few  years  ago  by  an  accidental  fire  (1798).  Arrived  at 
Aix-les-Bains.  The  building  of  the  baths  is  kept  up  in 
tolerable  order ;  all  inscriptions  of  how,  and  when,  and 
by  whom  it  was  erected  having  been  carefully  effaced. 
It  contains  a  number  of  separate  baths  for  the  douche, 
but  none  of  cold  water,  nor  even  the  means  of  lessening 
the  heat  of  the  natural  temperature.  The  Eomans  made 
use  of  these  waters,  and  considerable,  though  not  very 
interesting,  remains  of  their  baths  (now  subterraneous) 
are  to  be  seen  in  the  garden  and  under  the  floor  of  a 
room  in  the  house  of  a  physician  of  the  place.  These 
remains  have  been  very  lately  discovered.  They  consist 
of  a  passage  terraced  for  the  water,  and  very  neat  tile 
pipes  through  which  the  vapour  passed.  Under  the  floor 
of  the  room  enough  remains  to  prove  the  baths  had  been 
lined  with  marble. 

On  our  return  from  our  walk,  we  found  our  servants 
in  serious  council  over  the  carriage,  yet  standing  before 
the  inn  door.  They  had  found  the  axle-tree  cracked 
and  the  fore  bed  quite  split  through.  No  time  was  to  be 
lost.  A  marechal  was  sent  for.  He  examined  it  in 
presence  of,  I  believe,  the  whole  town  of  Aix ;  for  in 
France  everybody  is  willing,  indeed  insist,  upon  giving 
you  their  company  and  their  advice  upon  all  occasions. 
He  wanted,  as  usual,  to  make  a  job  for  his  neighbour,  the 
charron,  as  well  as  himself.  However,  after  much  useless 
conversation,  he  agreed  to  do  it  for  a  louis,  to  which  I 
added  a  promise  of  a  trifle  more,  if  the  carriage  was 
ready  to  set  off  at  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning. 

Aix  is  a  poor  little  town,  and  the  waters  now  little 
resorted  to.  But  I  should  think  in  peaceful  times  it  would 
be  likely  to  be  otherwise,  for  their  efficacy  is  consider- 


1803]  AIX   TO    GENEVA.  253 

able  ;  there  are  neat  public  walks  planted  with  that 
attention  which  the  old  Government  of  Sardinia  showed 
in  all  its  public  concerns. 

Saturday,  14^. — By  the  help  of  my  bribe  we  con- 
trived to  get  away  from  Aix  before  eleven  o'clock.  The 
road  to  Douey  through  a  green  enclosed  country,  with 
pasturage  very  like  England.  Beyond  Eumilly  it  is  upon 
a  fine  levee  round  the  side  of  a  steep  hill  down  to  a  bridge 
over  a  torrent,  the  whole  of  which  has  been  made  within 
late  years  by  the  French.  The  appearance  of  the  country 
of  Savoy  strikes  me  as  much  better,  and  in  an  improved 
state  of  cultivation  and  comfort  to  what  it  was  formerly. 
From  Douey  the  road  has  been  neglected,  and  in  winter 
the  postilions  said  it  was  almost  impassable  for  such  a 
carriage  as  ours.  They  are  so  little  accustomed  to  people 
travelling  post,  that  we  had  a  world  of  plague  at  every 
posthouse.  We  did  not  arrive  at  Geneva  till  ten  o'clock 
at  night. 

Sunday,  15^. — Walked  to  Sechecon.  The  situation  dis- 
appointed me,  though  with  a  garden  4own  to  the  lake ; 
but  this  end  of  the  lake  is  much  more  tame  than  the 
other. 

The  following  extracts  from  Mrs.  Darner's  letters  to 
Miss  Berry,  show  the  anxiety  now  felt  at  the  state  of 
affairs  between  England  and  France,  and  the  solicitude  of 
those  at  home  lest  communication  should  be  cut  off  from 
their  friends  abroad  : — 

From  Mrs.  Darner  to  Miss  Berry. 

London,  Saturday,  May  14,  1803. 

At  last  the  courier  is  arrived,  and  the  long  doubtful  business 
decided  which  you  will  have  known  before  this  can  reach 
you.  War  is  now  inevitable,  and  to-morrow  Andreossi  leaves 
London.  There  was  no  Parliament  sat  to-day.  I  have  seen 
many  other  wars  begin — none,  in  my  opinion,  under  such  bad 


254  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

auspices ! — remedy  there  is  none.  As  to  myself,  you  may 
depend  on  it,  that  if  I  can  come  to  you  I  will ;  I  shall  learn  by 
your  letters  where  you  are  to  be,  when  you  have  settled  your 
plans. 

Strawberry  Hill,  Monday,  16th. 

...  A  message  was  sent  to  the  Lord  Mayor  on  Saturday  to 
announce  war.  Yesterday  Andreossi  still  had  not  left  London  : 
this,  tho'  some  have  drawn  a  favourable  inference  from  it, 
means  nothing,  by  what  I  understand,  and  at  this  moment  I 
doubt  not  but  that  he  is  on  his  road.  The  communication,  they 
say,  is  to  be  made  from  the  King  to  Parliament  this  day,  and 
made  public  immediately.  I  hope  this  post,  at  least,  letters 
will  still  go  to  Calais ;  but  how  it  will  be  in  future  no  one  knows  ; 
and  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  this  difficulty  appears  to  me  very 
serious.  I  do  not  like  to  name  all  the  ports  that  will  probably 
be  shut  to  English  vessels.  You  talk  of  going  by  Holland  if  I 
come  to  you  ;  but  Holland  is  so  entirely  united  at  this  time  with 
France,  that  it  is  a  thing  understood  here,  that  when  the  French 
Ambassador  leaves  London,  the  Dutch  Minister  will  follow,  of 
course,  &c.  &c.  I  feel,  like  my  old  friend,  *  /  wish  I  was  asleep!' 
I  do  not  mean  wholly  on  the  score  of  public  matters,  for  war  is 
always  interesting,  and,  tho'  for  the  sake  of  humanity  and  for 
every  good  reason,  I  wish  it  avoided,  it  is  to  me  never  dispirit- 
ing. .  .  .  The  matter  of  letters,  I  do  fear,  will  be  a  certain  and 
immediate  evil  on  which  one  must  count.  I  mean  this  altered 
and  lengthened  course,  for  one  cannot  flatter  oneself  that  packets 
will  be  allowed  to  sail  from  Dover  to  Calais,  tho'  our  Captain 
Blake  has  such  a  thought,  and  talked  of  preparing  such  a  plan, 
if  the  two  Governments  could  agree  upon  it  for  mutual  con- 
venience ;  but  I  expect  no  such  thing. 

London,  Saturday,  May  28, 1803. 

.  .  .  Letters  positively  now  no  longer  come  by  Calais,  and  the  first 
accounts  were  true.  They,  however,  will  probably  come  before 
long  by  Hamburg,  and  I  may  hope  to  hear  from  you,  tho'  of 
later  dates,  and  more  irregularly,  I  conclude.  This  being  the 
case,  and  at  this  moment  little  chance  indeed,  by  any  inter- 
ference, of  your  obtaining  leave  to  go  by  Calais  and  Dover, 
either  at  Paris  or  here,  I  shall  not  be  sorry  to  know  that  you 
mean  quietly  to  remain  where  you  are  till  you  hear  what  turn 


1803]  LETTER   FROM    MRS.    DAMER.  255 

things  take  ;  and  by  what  passed  yesterday  in  both  Houses  con- 
cerning a  motion  of  Ld  Fitzwilliam  and  one  of  Mr.  Fox's,  do 
not  still  wholly  despair  of  peace  being  restored — in  which  case 
I  need  not  say  I  should  join  you  wherever  you  may  be.  What 
I  allude  to  is  the  very  unexpected  turn  and  tone  of  Mr.  Pitt's 
speech,  tending  to  approve  of  the  interference  of  Eussia,  and 
portending  (joined  to  other  circumstances),  if  it  portends  any- 
thing, his  coming  into  power  with  peaceable  views.  This, 
together  with  what  struck  me  this  morning  on  reading  the 
debates,  was  what  Ld  Dover  told  me  (who,  poor  man,  is  more 
than  ever  tormented  with  his  gout,  but  still  keeps  up  his  spirits), 
and  is,  as  you  may  guess,  the  receptacle  for  news,  but  it  is 
really,  in  the  political  way,  news  de  la  premiere  main,  and  I 
believe  him  very  little  prejudiced  on  either  side. 

Sunday  morning. 

To  be  sure  my  two  brothers-in-law  are  sad  cripples !  and  to 
save  the  D.  of  Eichmond,  who  so  kindly,  when  he  can,  comes 
to  me,  I  went  yesterday  and  dined  with  him ;  he  repeated  what 
I  told  you  above,  and  had  seen  Mr.  Fox  himself,  who  had  called 
upon  him ;  on  which  I  made  no  remark,  but  was  glad  to  hear 
the  Duke  spoke  in  favour  of  peace,  &c.  You  have  no  idea  of 
the  sensation  what  passed  in  Parliament  has  made ;  it  was 
wholly  unexpected,  and  has  certainly  revived  the  hopes  of  peace. 
I  wish  only  all  this  may  not  have  come  too  late.  Yet  Pitt, 
Fox,  both  nations  and  Buonaparte  for  peace,  it  will  be  hard  if 
a  useless,  cruel,  and  unjustifiable  war  should  be  continued. 
Should  this  be  the  case,  however,  and  that  you  still,  after 
proper  deliberation,  think  you  could  with  comfort  and  sufficient 
absence  of  anxiety  as  to  events  that  most  certainly  may  take 
place  in  this  country;  for  on  that  subject  there  is  but  one 
opinion,  and  it  can  be  no  secret,  I  mean  an  invasion ;  much 
as  I  dislike  a  long  sea  passage,  I  will  come  to  you,  and  with  you 
take  all  chances.  .  .  .  Since  I  wrote  this  I  have  heard  (I  know 
not  how  true)  that  letters  still  go  by  Calais,  but  that  none  are 
allowed  to  come  from  France.  ...  It  is  reported  that  all  Eng- 
lish are  stopped  and  confined  that  are  now  in  France. 


256  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

The  same. 
Strawberry  Hill,  Sunday,  June  5,  1803. 

.  . .  You  must,  in  a  very  few  days  after  the  date  of  the  last  letter, 
have  heard  that  English  are  not  all  to  be  sent  out  of  France, 
but  those  of  a  certain  description  detained  prisoners  at  war : 
this  news  was  known  here  by  the  1st  of  June.  .  .  I  regret  your 
not  having  heard  from  our  Chevalier,  who  could  certainly 
from  Paris  have  given  you  intelligence  as  to  what  was  going  on. 
I  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  events,  as  they  have  turned  out, 
could  by  any  have  been  entirely  foreseen,  but  I  think  you  have 
not  yet  seen  the  political  state  of  Europe  in  the  light  in  which 
it  will  shortly  appear  to  you — and  this  I  account  for  from  your 
having  been  so  many  months  away,  and  wholly  removed  from 
all  means  of  forming  your  own  judgment  of  things.  The  shut- 
ting up  ports  against  English  vessels  being  a  wise  and  political 
measure,  will,  you  may  depend  on  it,  be  adopted  to  the  utmost 
possible  extent  by  Bonaparte;  official  notice  to  this  effect  is 
already  come  from  Holland,  where  Mr.  Lister  is  detained  pri- 
soner, and  within  reach,  as  one  may  call  it;  at  this  moment 
only  Hamburg  remains  to  us.  This  train  of  ideas,  which  my 
mind  pursues  with  peculiar  anxiety  from  your  being  absent, 
and  the  difficulties  in  which,  though  perhaps  not  likely,  it  is 
possible  you  may  be  involved,  makes  me  earnestly  wish  you 
were  returned.  .  .  . 

The  little  remaining  shadow  of  peace  I  mentioned  has,  I  thiok, 
wholly  vanished.  Mr.  Pitt  spoke  yesterday  against  Ministry — 
thought  them  in  many  things  wrong,  but  that  the  confusion,  a 
change  by  loss  of  time  for  preparations,  &c.  &c.,  would  now 
make  war  not  advisable.  Lord  Hawkesbury  was  in  great  anger. 
Mr.  Fox  spoke — I  believe  it  was  little — and  did  not  (nor  I 
conclude  his  friends)  divide. 

London,  Sunday,  June  12, 1803. 

I  hope  you  did  not  put  your  letter,  as  you  intended,  into  the 
Gferman  post,  as  our  packets  now  do  not  go  to  Cuxhaven,  nor 
can  you,  consequently,  as  things  are,  return  that  way.  The 
French  army  is  at  Bremen,  with  an  intention,  as  it  appears,  of 
occupying  Hanover,  and  even  Hamburg,  tho'  it  is  expected 
some  other  arrangement,  at  least  as  to  the  latter,  and  the  pas- 


1803]  LETTER   FROM   MRS.    DAMER.  257 

sage  of  the  Elbe,  &c.,  will  take  place  between  France,  Prussia, 
and  Kussia ;  but  at  present  travellers  are  allowed  to  go  through 
France  by  applying  to  Paris  for  passports  (such,  of  course,  as 
do  not  come  under  the  late  restriction),  and  to  pass  from  Calais 
to  Dover.  Vessels  for  the  mails,  which  are  allowed  to  take  in 
passengers,  go  regularly  to  and  from  these  ports  with  a  flag  of 
truce.  On  this  you  may  depend,  and  take  your  measures 
accordingly,  for  this  moment ;  but  for  the  next  it  is  impossible 
to  answer.  ...  I  always  fear  you  may  be  influenced  in  your 
plans  by  a  natural  disbelief  of  what  often  must  appear  to  you 
(as  it  would  to  me)  idle  stories,  though  they  are,  may  be,  real 
and  certain  facts.  Should  you  determine  to  return,  and  through 
France,  I  think  you  ought  yourself  to  write  to  Perregaux  for  a 
passport,  and  the  moment  I  know  you  have  made  this  determi- 
nation I  shall  take  care  that  he  shall  also  be  written  to  from 
hence,  to  back  your  request  and  take  every  precaution  for  you 
in  my  power.  I  think,  also,  in  this  case  you  would  do  well  to 
write  to  Mdme.  Visconti,  who  was  so  kind  and  obliging  to  us ; 
she  very  probably  might  assist  you,  were  there  any  difficulty, 
and  I  am  persuaded  would  do  it  with  pleasure 

Tuesday,  June  14. 

Events  crowd  on  faster  even  than  I  expected,  and  I  grow 
seriously  uneasy  about  your  not  being  here.  Hanover  is  taken, 
without  resistance,  and  the  Elbe  shut  up.  This  intelligence 
came  yesterday,  by  the  first  consul's  own  particular  courier 
(called  Moustache),  who  also  announced  that  the  communi- 
cation by  Calais  was  to  end  on  the  28th  of  this  month.  This 
is  not  newspaper  intelligence — it  was  told  me  last  night  by  the 
Duchess  of  Devonshire,  who,  either  herself  or  Lady  Elizabeth, 
had  seen  Lord  Hervey.  The  Duchess  says  that  a  voiturier 
comes  in  eight  days  from  Geneva  to  Calais;  this,  could  you  be 
in  time,  and  have  your  passports  from  Paris,  would  be  very 
easy,  as  you  are  only  two  perfectly  unexceptionable  women  in 
every  way,  and  your  father  above  sixty ;  and  to  return  home  I 
could  certainly  obtain  a  passport  for  Dover  here  for  you.  What 
other  intelligence  the  courier  brought  it  is  not  known — possibly 
some  propositions  of  arrangement,  but  nothing  has  transpired. 
The  King  came  to  town,  and  there  was  a  council  in  consequence 
of  the  arrival  of  this  courier. 
VOL.  II.  S 


258  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

I  wish  to  (rod  you  may  have  taken  the  advice  I  sent  you  in 
my  letter  immediately  after  I  saw  Edwards,  and  now  be  on 
your  way  through  France  ;  but  this  I  no  way  expect,  and  now 
things  change,  and  may  change  so  rapidly,  there  is  no  giving 
advice  but  in  a  general  way.  Would  your  reluctance  to  return- 
ing to  England  had  not  been  so  great ! — not  but  that  this  reflec- 
tion is  suggested,  I  fairly  allow,  by  events  I  perfectly  knew 
you  could  not  foresee — nor  could  I.  ...  Do  not  trust  this 
or  that  person,  but  write  yourself  to  the  persons  I  mentioned 
above,  to  Paris,  and  any  others  there  you  think  of,  and  take 
notice  that  neutral  powers  may  not  long  continue  so.  ... 

Supposing  the  passage  from  Calais  to  be  actually  shut  for 
English  vessels  by  the  28th,  I  cannot  see  at  all  which  way  you 
can  return.  For  Heaven's  sake,  take  the  very  best  and  surest 
advice,  and  do  not  either  hurry  or  delay,  but  act  as  prudence 
may  direct. 


JOUENAL. 

Saturday,  May  28th. — Left  Geneva  by  half-past  eight,  in 
a  hired  carriage  with  three  horses,  leaving  Gibaud  behind 
to  get  our  coach  from  the  coachniaker's,  our  clothes 
from  the  washerwoman,  and  our  gowns  from  the  mantua- 
maker's,  and  to  wait  till  he  received  orders  to  follow  with 
them  to  Lausanne.  At  past  twelve  o'clock,  the  night 
before,  when  we  were  all  in  bed  and  asleep,  we  had  been 
waked  by  Lord  John  Campbell  *  to  communicate  intel- 
ligence he  had  received  from  some  of  the  English  at 
Secheron,  viz.,  that  by  a  letter  which  Lady  Donegal  f 
(who  lodged  there)  had  received  from  Lyons,  they  learnt 
that  the  English  were  arrested  there,  and  it  was  believed 
the  same  order  was  to  be  received  by  the  post  the  next 
morning  at  Geneva,  in  consequence  of  which  he,  Lord 
John,  and  his  companion  Mr.  Eobertson,  meant  to  leave 

*  Lord  John  Campbell,  second  son  of  John  Duke  of  Argyll,  born  1777 ; 
succeeded  his  brother  George  William,  sixth  duke,  1839  ;  died  1847. 
t  Barbara,  daughter  of  Dr.  Godfrey,  born  1790;  died  1829. 


18C3]  GENEVA  TO   LAUSANNE.  259 

Geneva,  and  the  rest  of  the  English  Secheron,  before  the 
arrival  of  the  post,  that  is  to  say,  before  eight  o'clock  the 
next  morning.  I  own,  when  my  sister  came  up  and  woke 
me,  I  was  little  inclined  to  credit  intelligence  coming  in 
so  roundabout  a  manner,  and  advised  her,  without  waking 
iny  father,  to  return  quietly  to  bed  and  let  us  talk  of  it 
next  morning ;  to  which  she  unwillingly  consented,  but 
went  to  my  father  early  the  next  morning,  when  she  com- 
municated it  to  him ;  she  was  so  uneasy  and  anxious  to 
be  gone,  that  soon  after  six  she  was  a^ain  with  me.  We 

o  *  <— t 

directly  sent  up  for  the  master  of  the  house,  told  him 
de  quoi  il  s'agissait,  begged  him  immediately  to  get  us  a 
carriage  (for  there  was  no  time  to  enquire  if  ours  was 
finished),  made  our  maid  stuff  what  things  she  could  into 
one  of  the  trunks,  and  with  much  hurry  and  much  un- 
comfortable bustle  got  off  at  half-past  eight  from  the 
door  of  the  Balances,  not  indeed  before  the  post  had 
arrived,  but  before   any  order  it  had  brought   to   the 
Prefet  was  communicated  to  the  sentinels  at  the  gates, 
so  that  we  passed  without  interruption  of  any  sort,  either 
at  Geneva  or  at  Versay,  the  limits  of  tte  French  territory, 
about  a  league  and  a  half  from  the  town,  where  there  is 
a  barriere  and  a  douane,  although  in  the  hurry  of  setting 
out  the  servants  left  my  letter- case  behind,  in  which  was 
our  passport.     We  stopped  at  Eolle  from  twelve  o'clock 
till  three,  and  arrived  at  Lausanne  by  six  o'clock.     As  no 
less   than   three   English  families  had  left  Geneva  and 
Secheron  on  the  same  day,  and  upon  the  same  account 
as  ourselves,  we  found  all  the  inns  full,  and  got  very 
bad  rooms  on  the  third  story  of  the  least  good  of  the 
two  bad  ones  at  Lausanne.     I  had  a  violent  headache  by 
the  time  I  arrived,  whioh  was  perhaps  lucky,  as  it  took 
from  me  almost  the  power  of  every  other  thought  but 
that  of  getting  a  room  and  to  bed  as  fast  as  I  could, 
instead  of  the  melancholy  retour  one  should  necessarily 
have  made  upon  oneself  returning  to  a  town  after  an 

82 


260  MISS  BERET'S  JOUEXAL.  [isos 

absence  of  nearly  nineteen  years,  which  one  had  left  in 
the  heyday  of  life,  with  a  thousand  brilliant  prospects, 
hopes,  and  ideas  before  one,  all  cruelly  failed  in  a  man- 
que ed  existence,  and  which  at  sober  forty  can  never  be 
renewed ! 

Our  old  friend  Miss  Cerjat  came  to  see  us  the  instant 
she  knew  of  our  arrival.  Seeing  her  was  a  relief  to  me 
from  finding  her  so  much  less  changed  than  I  had  been 
led  to  expect  from  the  various  family  distresses  in  which 
she  has  been  lately  involved. 

Wednesday,  July  6th. — Went  to  the  library  of  Mr. 
Gibbon  ;*  it  still  remains  here,  though  bought  seven  years 
ago  by  Mr.  Beckford,  of  Fonthill,  for  950/.  It  consists 
of  near  10,000  volumes,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  judge  by 
a  cursory  and  (from  its  present  situation)  a  very  incon- 
venient examination  of  it,  it  is,  of  all  the  libraries  I  ever 
saw,  that  of  which  I  should  most  covet  the  possession — 
that  which  seems  exactly  everything  that  any  gentleman 
or  gentlewoman  fond  of  letters  could  wish.  Although  it 
is  in  no  particular  walk  of  literature  a  perfect  collection, 
in  the  classical  part  perhaps  less  than  any  other,  and  in 
the  Greek  less  than  in  the  Latin  classics,  still  there  are 
good  editions  of  all  the  best  authors  in  both  languages. 
The  books,  though  neither  magnificent  in  their  editions  nor 
in  their  bindings,  are  all  in  good  condition,  all  clean,  all 
such  as  one  wishes  to  read,  and  could  have  no  scruple  in 
using.  They  are  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Scott,  a  physician  of 
this  place,  who  made  the  bargain  for  Mr.  Beckford  with 
Gibbon's  heirs  in  England,  and  are  placed  in  two  small 
and  inconvenient  rooms  hired  for  the  purpose,  and  filled 
with  rows  of  shelves  so  near  as  scarcelv  to  admit  of  look- 


*  The  house  of  Gibbon  and  the  garden  have  been  much  changed.  The 
wall  of  the  Hotel  Gibbon  occupies  the  site  of  his  summerhouse,  and  the 
berceau  walk  has  been  destroyed  to  make  room  for  the  garden  of  the  hotel ; 
nothing  but  the  terrace  overlooking  the  lake  and  a  few  acacias  remain.—' 
Murray^  Handbook. 


1803]  LAUSANNE.  261 

ing  at  the  books  on  the  back  side  of  them.  Mr.  Beckford, 
when  last  here  in  17  9-,  packed  up  about  2,500  vols.  of 
what  he  considered  as  the  choicest  of  them,  in  two  cases, 
which  he  then  proposed  sendipg  to  England  directly,  but 
which  still  remain  in  their  cases  with  the  others. 

\\tti. — Mr.  Glayre  had  a  good  house  in  Lausanne, 
with  a  beautiful  view,  a  good  house  in  the  country  at 
Eomain-Motier,  about  twenty  miles  from  Lausanne,  both 
well  furnished  according  to  the  ideas  of  the  country,  had 
frequent  company  to  dinner  in  Lausanne,  besides  evening 
parties,  and  very  often  people  staying  at  his  house  in  the 
country  for  weeks  together;  gave  foreign  wine  at  his 
table  whenever  he  had  company,  lived  in  every  respect 
well  and  at  ease,  kept  four  carriage  horses  (occasionally 
working  on  his  farm),  having  a  library,  buying  some 
books  every  year,  denying  himself  no  reasonable  fancy, 
and  having  a  wife  and  two  young  children.  He  spent 
800/.  sterling  a  year ! 

N.B. — To  this  must  be  added  the  taxes  to  be  imposed 
by  the  new  Government  since  the  independence  of  the 
Pays  de  Vaud  from  Berne,  which  cannot  make  a  differ- 
ence of  30/.  a  year. 

This  independent  canton  of  Vaud,  thinking  itself  so 
happy  to  have  escaped  from  what  some  silly  heads  of  it 
were  pleased  to  call  the  tyranny  of  the  canton  of  Berne, 
will,  I  feel  convinced,  in  a  very  short  time,  be  united  to 
France  by  the  general  consent  and  desire  of  the  rational 
and  thinking  part  of  the  community,  and  I  think  they 
will  do  well  for  the  real  happiness  and  prosperity  of  their 
country  in  desiring  such  union.  The  peasants,  I  believe, 
have  really  gained  by  the  abolition  of  the  feudal  and 
seigneurial  rights  ;  in  short,  by  their  revolution,  made  ex- 
actly upon  the  model  of  the  French  as  to  putting  down 
arms,  burning  family  papers,  abolishing  titles,  liveries, 
&c.  &c.  But  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns,  who  were 
formerly  an  industrious,  sober,  and  (for  the  age  they 


262  MISS   BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1803 

lived  in)  simple  set  of  people,  are  grown  at  once  idle, 
insolent,  and  corrupted,  which  sits  infinitely  worse  upon 
the  dull  grassier  ete  of  the  Swiss  character  than  upon  the 
pert  legerete  of  the  French.  The  men,  instead  of  thinking 
of  their  trade,  are  hardly  ever  in  their  shops,  but  loitering 
about  in  groups,  talking  the  politics  of  their  country,  and 
all  looking  after  some  place  or  some  participation  in  their 
government,  for  which  their  former  lives  have  not  qua- 
lified them,  and  which  their  present  duties,  unless 
neglected,  must  prevent  their  fulfilling.  The  women 
consider  liberty  and  equality  as  an  equal  right  for  every- 
one to  read  novels  from  morning  till  night,  which  they  do, 
from  the  lowest  servants  to  the  first  citoyenne  in  the 
town.  If  ever  anything  could  persuade  one  to  consider 
being  taught  to  read  as  a  disadvantage  to  the  lower  order 
of  people,  it  would  be  here,  from  the  often  vile,  and  always 
absurd,  use  which  is  made  of  it.  The  frequent  passage 
and  residence  of  French  troops  in  their  towns  have  in- 
troduced much  profligacy  in  their  manners ;  and  as  they 
have  looked  up  to  the  French  as  their  models  in  every- 
thing, so  like  them  they  seem  to  expect  the  monstrous 
and  impossible  combination  of  well-ordered  liberty  in 
government  and  idle  profligacy  in  manners. 

Their  commerce,  which  was  formerly  considerable  in 
books,  is  falling  to  nothing,  in  spite  of  every  living  soul 
in  the  town  reading.  They  no  longer  print  any  good 
works  here,  but  draw  their  books  from  Paris,  which, 
greatly  increasing  the  price,  and  everybody  but  the  pea- 
sants being  impoverished  by  their  revolution,  nobody 
buys,  the  novels  go  from  hand  to  hand  from  the  circula- 
ting library  with  almost  as  little  advantage  to  those  who 
let  as  to  those  who  hire  them.  All  the  tradespeople 
complain  of  having  little  to  do,  and  yet  they  are  neglect- 
ful and  dilatory  in  executing  the  smallest  commission,  and 
have  lost  entirely  all  that  prevenance  of  manner  and  wish 
to  oblige  which  most  commonly  exists  where  trade  really 


1803]  LAUiJANNE.  263 

r 

flourishes  or  is  increasing.  Everyone  being  a  burgess  of 
the  town,  he  has  certain  pecuniary  rights,  amounting  to 
about  five  or  six  pounds  sterling  a  year,  such  as  so  many 
loads  of  wood  furnished  to  them  from  the  estates  of  the 
town,  which  are  considerable — about  five  thousand  pounds 
a  year,  and  what  was  called  la  bourse  des  Pauvres^  about 
1,400/. ;  and  when  old  or  incapable  of  working,  being  pro- 
vided for  by  the  town  (that  is  to  say,  placed  at  its  ex- 
pense in  the  hospital,  or  receiving  their  sustenance,  fuel, 
clothes,  &c.,  from  the  town  in  their  own  houses),  they 
count  too  much  upon  this  resource,  and  probably  are 
more  anxious  about  the  direction  of  their  public  estate 
than  their  private  affairs. 

Their  criminal  justice  was  formerly  administered  by 
the  Supreme  Council  at  Berne,  and  from  the  infrequency 
of  crimes  and  the  emptiness  of  their  prisons,  one  may 
justly  suppose  was  well  administered.  Now  that  their 
justice  is  in  their  own  hands,  their  prisons  are  full. 
Nobody,  indeed,  is  punished,  because  means  are  always 
found  to  let  the  malefactors,  whatever  their  crimes,  escape 
out  of  prison  by  the  command  of  then  friendly  judges. 
Their  civil  justice  must  grow  still  worse,  and  the  degree 
of  partiality  which  was  formerly  supposed  to  interfere  HI 
causes  where  anything  Bernois  was  a  party,  must  have 
been  nothing  in  comparison  to  what  must  take  place  now, 
when  Jacques  judges  Jean,  with  all  the  little  partialities, 
little  prejudices,  and  little  piques,  which  it  is  not  in  the 
nature  of  man  to  avoid  in  a  small  society  of  which  he 
himself  forms  a  part.  Add  to  this  that  the  Government 
of  Berne  was  rich,  and  assisted  its  subjects  in  a  variety  of 
ways  (such  as  lending  money  to  individuals  for  any  con- 
siderable undertaking,  at  one,  one  and  a  half,  and  two  per 
cent. ;  having  their  granaries  always  full  of  salt  and  of 
corn,  which  in  case  of  scarcity  were  retailed  at  a  moderate 
price,  &c.),  while  the  Government  of  the  Eepublique 
Vaudoise,  having  nothing,  can  have  neither  public  muni- 


264  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1303 

ficence  nor  private  charities,  and  consequently  the  number 
of  poor,  of  real  mendicants,  I  mean,  among  the  labouring 
classes,  both  in  the  towns  and  the  country,  is  unexampled 
in  their  former  history.  All  these  inconveniences,  which 
time  seems  more  likely  to  increase  than  to  diminish,  con- 
vince me  that  Buonaparte's  moderation  with  respect  to 
this  country  (I  mean  the  Pays  de  Vaud  in  particular)  has 
been  merely  giving  them  rope  enough  to  hang  themselves. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  towns  will  rapidly  fall  into  decay, 
if  not  into  discord,  and  there  not  being  territory  enough 
for  them  all  to  become  cultivators  (to  say  nothing  of  con- 
trary habits),  the  wisest  among  them  will  find  it  best 
to  associate  themselves  to  a  country  more  fertile  in  re- 
sources than  their  own,  and  to  give  up  their  troublesome 
independence  for  leave  to  participate  in  the  brilliant 
prospects  of  France.  Nor,  indeed,  do  I  believe  it  possible 
in  the  present  age,  in  the  present  political  order  of  things, 
and  with  the  present  habits,  wants,  and  wishes  of  man- 
kind, to  establish  a  small  independent  government  without 
any  other  means  of  aggrandisement  than  the  progression 
of  national  industry,  particularly  in  a  country  like  this, 
close  to  France,  and  not  locally  separated  from  the  con- 
tagion of  its  manners,  its  errors,  and  its  corruption,  like 
the  little  mountainous  cantons  of  Switzerland,  whose 
various  democracies  were  all  settled  in  an  age  when  a 
total  absence  of  the  occupations  of  foreign  commerce  and 
foreign  relations,  and  the  simplicity  and  paucity  of  their 
own  wants,  made  it  no  very  difficult  matter  to  be  at  once 
a  judge,  a  soldier,  and  a  farmer,  to  have  wit  enough  to 
settle  such  differences  as  were  likely  to  occur,  strength 
enough  to  till  the  field,  and  valour  to  defend  it. 

Saturday,  23rd. — Went  to  see  the  cathedral — a  very 
handsome  large  Gothic  church,  much  enriched  with 
figures  of  no  very  good  sculpture,  but  as  perfect  as  the 
day  they  were  put  up.  The  middle  aisle  of  this  church 
is  deformed  with  pews.  Behind  the  choir  are  several  old 


1803]  LAUSANNE   CATHEDRAL.  265 

monuments  of  their  Catholic  bishops,  and  one  only  of  a 
chevalier  in  a  shirt  of  mail.*  There  are  besides  several 
modern  monuments  to  strangers  who  have  died  at  Lau- 
sanne. A  handsome  sarcophagus  to  the  Princesse  d'OrlofF, 
a  simple  tablet  to  the  memory  of  poor  William  Legge, 
and  another  to  that  of  Mr.  Ellison,  who  died  when 
we  were  first  at  Lausanne  in  1785.  A  monument,  in- 
tended, judging  by  the  pedestal,  to  have  been  very 
magnificent,  to  the  memory  of  the  first  wife  of  Comte 
Walmoden ;  but  before  the  monument  was  finished, 
he  married  again,  and  it  has  never  been  put  up  at  all. 
There  are,  besides  these  monuments,  simple  tablets, 
with  arms,  to  many  families  of  the  Pays  de  Vaud.  At 
the  time  of  their  revolution,  in  their  ridiculous  Patriotic 
Society,  as  it  was  called,  the  servile  and  contemptible 
ape  of  all  revolutionary  follies  of  the  French,  they  more 
than  once  proposed  destroying  these  monuments.  They, 
however,  escaped  everything  but  the  rapacity  of  the 
French  soldiers,  who,  in  some  of  their  visits  to  Lausanne, 
took  away  all  the  copper-gilt  letters  of  which  some  of  the 
inscriptions  were  made. 

Sunday,  24th. — Left  Lausanne  without  the  regret  that 
I  could  wish  to  have  experienced  at  leaving  so  beautiful 
a  country,  in  which  I  had  formerly  spent  many  cheerful 
days.  But  the  disagreeable  uncertainty  in  which  we 
have  been  living  here  for  these  last  two  months  has 
been  such,  that  I  felt  rather  glad  it  should  come  to  an 
end,  even  by  the  alternative  of  a  long  and  tiresome 
journey.  The  road  between  Lausanne  and  Meudon  is  a 
continued  ascent  up  the  Jura. 

Monday,  25/A. — Eoad  from  Payerne  to  Avenches,  along 
a  pleasant  cultivated  valley.  Avenches  is  an  old  walled 
town.  A  Roman  marble  column,  with  a  part  of  its  base 

*  Otho  of  Gransom,  whose  ancestor,  Otto  de  Grandeson,  held  several  im- 
portant offices  in  England,  under  Henry  III.  and  Edward  I. — Murray's 
Handbook. 


266  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

and  entablature,  remains  in  a  garden  on  the  right  side  of 
the  road.*  No  other  Roman  remains  appear,  but  the 
books  say  there  are  several.  There  is  a  pretty  view  of 
the  Lake  of  Morat  before  coming  to  Avenches.  Morat, 
situated  on  an  eminence,  is  a  good-looking  old  town,  with 
arcades  in  the  streets  like  Berne.  On  the  side  of  the  road 
formerly  stood  the  nobly  simple  monument,  erected  to 
the  bravery  of  the  Swiss  in  the  defeat  of  the  Bourguignons 
[1476]  ;  but  the  French  regiment  de  la  Cote  d'Or  being 
unfortunately  quartered  at  Morat  in  the  year  1798,  nobly 
destroyed  it  entirely,  instead  of,  like  real  heroes,  respect- 
ing valour  of  every  country.  Nothing  remains  but  a  few 
scattered  bones  among  the  weeds  which  mark  the  place 
of  the  former  enclosure.  The  approach  to  Berne  is 
marked  by  innumerable  farm  and  country  houses,  scat- 
tered over  the  hills,  many  guinguettes  and  gardens  near 
the  roadside,  and  long  avenues  of  trees  up  to  the  gates. 
Our  passport  here  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  police. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  French  soldiers  at  the  gates. 

Tuesday.,  26th. — Went  to  the  cathedral.  A  very  fine 
Gothic  building.  Of  the  four  windows  of  the  tower, 
three  are  of  beautiful  painted  glass  in  mosaic  patterns. 
The  fourth  was  destroyed  by  lightning  about  150  years 
ago,  and  has  been  replaced  by  plain  glazing.  Monuments 
there  are  none  whatsoever.  There  is  an  immense  organ, 
loaded  with  gilt  ornaments  in  the  very  worst  taste,  put 
up  in  a  circular  gallery  of  Grecian  architecture  at  the 
west  end  of  the  church,  which  takes  off  considerably  from 
its  length.  From  the  terrace,  of  which  the  cathedral 
forms  the  boundary,  on  one  side  there  is  a  fine  view  of 
the  river  running  almost  immediately  under  it,  the  well- 
wooded  and  cultivated  hills  of  the  environs,  all  dotted 
over  with  villages  and  single  houses,  and  beyond  them 
Alps  on  Alps  rising  in  the  distance.  I  cannot  say  how 

*  Corinthian  column  37  feet  high,  on  which  the  storks  now  build. 


1803]  BERNE.  267 

much  I  was  struck  with  the  appearance  of  the  streets 
and  buildings  of  Berne.  Everything  that  belongs  to  the 
public  is  well  executed  and  well  kept ;  and  all  the  private 
houses  in  the  principal  streets  are  handsome.  The  pecu- 
liar beauty  of  the  stone  walls  with  which  the  whole  town 
is  built  adds  to  this  effect,  as  certainly  do  the  arcades 
under  the  houses.  The  piers  also  sloping  outwards  give 
an  appearance  of  regularity  and  solidity  extremely  pleas- 
ing, while  the  superstructures  are  sufficiently  varied  in 
their  forms  and  ornaments  to  prevent  sameness. 

On  leaving  the  town,  after  crossing  the  bridge  over  the 
Aar,a  long  ascent  from  the  other  side  is  protected  with  head- 
stone parapets,  executed  in  the  most  solid  manner  by  the 
Government  between  the  years  1750  and  1758,  as  a  sort 
of  stone  monument  upon  the  top  of  the  hill  records.  The 
view  from  hence  beautiful,  and  the  Aar  is  seen  winding 
almost  entirely  round  the  town,  and  placing  it  on  a  penin- 
sula. This  happened  to  be  market  day  at  Berne,  and 
the  great  street  in  which  the  Faucon  is  situated  was, 
from  before  six  in  the  morning,  a  perfect  fair,  with  a  row 
of  booths  completely  down  both  sides  outside  the  arcades, 
besides  the  herb  and  fruit  market,  which  began  the  busi- 
ness of  the  day.  The  booths  were  shops  of  all  sorts,  but 
principally  of  wearing  apparel,  many  with  all  the  ribbons 
and  velvets,  and  bits  of  embroidery,  which  enter  into  the 
composition  of  a  Bernoise  dress.  Nothing,  indeed,  can 
be  more  picturesque  than  the  variety  of  female  dresses 
from  the  different  cantons  and  districts  of  Switzerland,  to 
be  seen  in  this  market — more  of  them  odd  than  graceful, 
but  all  serving  to  make  that  interesting  variety,  the 
absence  of  which  one  regrets  in  the  appearance  of  a 
people  where  there  are  no  regular  dresses  for  different 
classes.  Left  Berne.  The  road  through  a  cultivated 
country  with  fine  woods.  The  houses  all  constructed  a 
la  Bernoise,  which  gives  a  great  idea  of  comfort  to  a 
farm-house. 


268  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [isos 

Tuesday,  26 th. — Arrived  at  Soleure  in  the  afternoon. 
Our  passport  was  taken  at  the  gate  by  the  French  troops 
upon  guard  there,  with  a  promise  to  bring  it  to  us  that 
evening.  I  wished  to  send  for  it,  fearing  any  delay  next 
morning,  but  the  waiter  assured  me  no  mistake  could  be 
made,  that  the  son  of  the  landlord  was  one  of  the  muni- 
cipal officers  who  would  viser  the  passport  and  send  it. 
Still  the  passport  did  not  arrive,  and  in  spite  of  the 
waiter's  assurances  I  began  to  be  uneasy.  I  had  seen  in 
our  walk  about  the  town  more  French  soldiers,  hussars, 
and  infantry,  than  in  all  the  rest  of  Switzerland  beside, 
and  I  began  to  suspect  that  their  will,  whatever  that 
might  be,  would  here  be  law.  About  nine  o'clock,  when 
my  father  had  already  retired  to  his  room,  the  municipal 
officer  begged  to  speak  to  me  upon  the  subject  of  our  pass- 
port ;  it  had  never  been  brought  by  the  soldiers  to  his  office, 
but  had  been  carried  to  the  French  commandant ;  that  we 
were  entirely  in  the  power  of  the  French  military,  who, 
he  added,  were  unfortunately  his  masters  as  well  as  ours. 
Upon  this  I  desired  immediately  to  speak  to  the  com- 
mandant de  la  place,  who  luckily  happened  to  be  at 
supper  in  the  house,  and  I  prevented  my  father  from 
going  to  bed,  as  his  presence  would  be  necessary  to  con- 
stater  his  age.  At  last  the  commandant  made  his  appear- 
ance. He  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-six  or 
seven,  with  a  mild,  gentlemanlike  countenance,  and 
quiet  composed  manners.  But  never  did  I  see  such  a 
thorough  concentrated  hatred,  such  a  deep  settled  desire 
of  revenge,  expressed  with  such  perfectly  undisturbed 
calmness,  and  by  an  apparently  cold  character,  as  by  this 
man  against  England.  For  once  in  my  life  I  rejoiced  at 
the  helplessness  of  my  sex ;  for  the  calm  composure  of 
this  young  man  in  uttering  the  most  abominable  lies 
about  his  treatment  in  England  did  so  make  my  blood 
boil  in  my  veins,  that  nothing  but  my  sex  could  have  pre- 
vented me  being  guilty  of  the  signal  folly  of  chastising  him 


1803]  SOLEURE   TO   BASLE.  269 

as  he  deserved,  and  consequently  of  making  myself  the 
aggressor.  The  scene  ended  with  his  first  accompanying 
my  father  to  the  French  general  (Eppler),  with  whom 
he  said  he  must  se  combiner  about  the  passport,  and  then 
signing  and  sealing  it  himself,  which,  indeed,  I  believe, 
neither  he  nor  the  general  could  avoid  doing  (though 
they  said  otherwise),  as  my  father  was  non  compris  in  the 
decree  of  arrestation  in  France. 

Wednesday,  27th. — We  left  Soleure  at  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  too  happy  to  get  out  of  the  hands  of 
General  Eppler  and  his  commandant  de  la  place.  After 
leaving  Soleure,  the  country  is  less  interesting  and  less  well 
cultivated  than  any  part  of  Switzerland  I  have  yet  seen. 
The  town  of  Soleure  has  always  been  more  montee  a  la 
Franqaise  than  any  other  in  Switzerland.  The  houses 
and  the  people,  particularly  of  the  better  sort,  have  more  a 
French  than  a  Swiss  air.  It  was  always  the  residence  of 
the  French  ambassador,  the  only  ambassador  with  which 
the  cantons  were  honoured.  It  is  now  the  depot  of  all 
the  French  military  in  Switzerland,  amounting  to  seven 
or  eight  hundred.  From  here,  as  the  centre  of  the 
country,  they  can  send  out  bands  to  dictate  to  any  other 
part.  Indeed,  here  they  seem  to  have  established  them- 
selves, and  I  believe  it  will  be  long  before  the  poor  Swiss 
will  be  able  to  unkennel  them  from  this  burrow.  They 
will  always  find  some  reason  for  keeping  here  a  body  of 
troops,  and  till  such  troops  be  removed,  the  Swiss  will 
never  be  able  to  call  those  reasons  bad.  Upon  a  prominent 
rock,  in  the  narrowest  part  of  the  valley,  and  just  above 
a  village,*  is  a  very  picturesque  old  ruined  castle,  which 
probably  in  former  daysN commanded  the  country  on  both 
sides.  The  approach  to  Basle  is  through  a  long  avenue 
of  poplars.  After  taking  possession  of  our  apartment, 


*  Aussere  Klus.  Above  it  rises  the  ruined  castle  of  Bipp  (Castrum  Pepini), 
built  by  Pepin,  Maire  du  Palais. 


270  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

we  were  much  pleased  to  see  Peter  enter  the  room.  He 
had  arrived  from  Neufchatel,  sent  by  Mr.  MacCulloch 
with  a  voiturier  on  a  char-a-banc.  He  had  put  on  the 
man's  clothes,  and  had  slept  at  Soleure  the  night  before, 
as  well  as  ourselves,  but  at  another  inn,  and  had  luckily 
known  nothing  of  our  being  there ;  for  most  assuredly, 
had  the  vindictive  commandant  known  of  him  as  an 
Englishman,  or  as  one  of  our  party,  he  would  have  been 
stopped  as  a  good  exchange  for  a  French  grenadier. 

Thursday,  28th. — The  weather  was  now  excessively 
hot,  and  admitted  of  very  little  exercise.  Determined  to 
stay  at  Basle  till  the  next  morning. 

Went  to  the  principal  bookseller — a  very  good  one  ;  to 
Michel's  great  print  warehouse,  always  entertaining ;  to 
the  cathedral,  a  large  handsome  Gothic  building,  con- 
taining the  tomb  of  Erasmus,  who  died  here — a  plain 
marble  tablet,  with  an  inscription  in  gilt  letters.  It  is  of 
a  nasty  reddish  coloured  stone,  which  much  diminishes 
its  effect. 

After  dinner,  in  spite  of  the  heat,  we  went  to  the  public 
library,  where,  in  several  rooms  under  those  containing 
the  books,  are  preserved  a  number  of  fine  drawings  and 
some  admirable  pictures  of  Holbein.  A  portrait  of 
Erasmus,  and  another  of  his  friend  Amerbach  (a  juris- 
consult of  this  place),  to  whom  a  large  volume  of  Eras- 
mus's MS.  letters  have  been  preserved ;  a  portrait  of  a 
Swiss  merchant  in  London,  which,  after  being  in  various 
different  hands,  has  returned  to  the  native  country  both 
of  the  painter  and  of  the  person  represented  ;  a  portrait 
of  his  own  wife  and  two  children — admirable.  Among 
other  valuables  are  some  very  fine  cinque-cento  editions : 
a  book  of  devotion  of  Fust  in  the  year  1464  ;  of  Cicero's 
Epistles,  without  name  of  printer,  in  1469 ;  Erasmus's  seal, 
device,  and  many  little  remembrances  of  him  are  here 
preserved  together  with  the  letters  I  have  before  men- 
tioned, and  a  MS.  of  the  '  Moria  Encomia  '  with  Holbein's 


1803]  LETTER   FEOM   MRS.   HOWE.  271 

drawings  upon  the  margin  in  pen  and  ink.  An  edition 
of  this  has  been  published,  with  the  drawings  on  wooden 
plates,  which  give  a  very  poor  idea  of  the  spirit  of  the 
originals. 

Friday,  29th. — Left  Basle.  In  spite  of  the  assurances 
of  our  commandant  at  Soleure,  that  without  his  permis- 
sion we  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  from  Basle,  not  a 
question  was  asked  us,  either  on  entering  or  on  leaving  it ; 
nor,  indeed,  on  the  German  side,  did  I  see  a  creature  to 
ask  it,  except  a  few  poor-looking  Invalides,  whom  we  over- 
took in  the  street,  going  to  take  possession  of  the  gate. 
French  troops  and  a  French  officer  there  certainly  are  in 
Basle,  but  they  are  few,  and  take  no  direction  of,  or  inter- 
fere with,  the  municipality.  Freyburg,  the  capital  of  the 
Breisgau  (the  country  by  the  late  arrangements  ceded 
to  Modena),  is  a  small  town,  like  most  German  towns, 
with  very  wide  streets,  which  sounds  better  than  it  looks. 
The  heat  was  so  excessive  that  we  were  glad  to  pass 
the  rest  of  the  day  in  the  inn. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Howe 
belongs  to  this  period,  though  it  is  not  said  at  what  place 
Miss  Berry  was  able  to  receive  her  letters  during  their 
homeward  journey : — 

July  11,  1803. 

.  .  .  Many  fine  folks  have  left  town,  but  hitherto  there  has 
not  been  a  dearth  of  grand  meetings ;  and  the  three  or  four 
balls  at  Devonshire  House  have  kept  the  young  people  in 
motion ;  there  have  been,  also,  there  several  morning  dances, 
followed  by  a  breakfast,  by  way  of  practising  quadrilles.  Lady 
Elizth  Foster  brought  some  pretty  music  from  Paris,  and  some 
of  the  young  ladies  just  come  forth  proved  themselves  excel- 
lent dancers.  The  two  Miss  Monks  *  are  counted  the  first 


*  Two  daughters  of  Mr.  and  Lady  Elizabeth  Monk,  the  one  afterwards 
married  to  Sir  Charles  Paget,  the  other  to  Lord  Oranmore. 


272  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

performers ;  and  Caroline  St.  Jules,*  though  not  quite  such  a 
neat  figure,  is  one  of  the  best ;  these  three  all  got  some  lessons 
at  Paris.  Lady  Constance  Maria  Stanhope,f  Lady  Georgiana 
Cecil,$  the  two  Miss  Lowthers.§  Lady  something  Saville,||  Miss 
Fitzroy,1F  Lady  Maria  Fitzroy,**  and  Miss  Conyers,  all  belong 
to  the  set,  and  some  more,  whom  I  have  forgot. 

I  trust  your  next  letter  will  tell  us  what  expectations  you 
have  of  returning  to  England :  if  you  can  procure  passports 
from  Paris  to  bring  you  through  France,  it  would  be  welcome 
news  indeed.  I  doubt  that  is  not  a  reasonable  supposition, 
especially  during  the  absence  of  the  First  Consul. 

Saturday,  30th. — Left  Freyburg  between  four  and  five, 
to  avoid  the  excessive  heat.  The  country  to  Emendingen 
is  more  interesting,  and  Emendingen  is  a  gay-looking 
little  open  town.  Near  Fresenheim  is  to  be  seen  an 
immense  large  building,  a  convent  of  Benedictines  given 
by  France  in  the  late  arrangements  to  the  order  of  Malta ; 
but  the  Emperor,  it  seems,  disputes  the  gift,  and  the  right 
of  giving.  Offenberg  is  a  large  bourg,  quite  as  uninterest- 
ing as  the  country  in  which  it  is  situated.  One  is  taken 
to  the  churchyard  to  see  an  immense  distant  view  of  the 
plain  of  the  Ehine,  and  in  it  a  spot  which  they  tell  you 
is  the  Cathedral  of  Strasburg,  just  as  I  have  seen  a  York- 
shire squire  show  you  with  pride  and  delight  the  plain  of 
York,  and  assure  you  that  in  such  a  part  of  the  cloudy 
atmosphere  which  overhangs  the  whole  he  can  discern 
York  Minster.  On  the  outside  of  the  walls — for  all  these 
little  towns  in  Germany  have  walls — we  found  a  very 
pleasant  grass- walk,  with  little  gardens  coming  down  on 


*  Married  to  the  Hon.  George  Lamb. 

t  Daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Harrington,  married  to  the  late  Duke  of  Bedford. 
J  Daughter  of  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury,  married  to  the  late  Lord  Cowley. 
§  Daughters  of  Lord  Lonsdale. 

||  Daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Mexborough,  married  first  to  Lord  Monson, 
secondly  to  Lord  Warwick. 
11  Miss  Fitzroy.  (?) 
**  Daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Graft  on,  married  to  Sir  William  Oglander. 


1803]  OFFENBERG    TO    RASTADT.  273 

each  side,  very  refreshing  in  the  evening  of  a  hot  sum- 
mer's day. 

During  the  late  war,  OfFenberg  was  sometimes  in 
possession  of  the  French,  sometimes  of  the  Austrians. 
Sometimes  one  was  posted  at  one  end  of  the  place,  and 
the  other  at  the  other,  and  they  more  than  once  fought 
in  the  streets. 

Sunday,  31st — From  Oflenberg  to  Eastadt  the  same 
sort  of  flat  uninteresting  country,  rich  in  corn  and  vines. 
The  numerous  villages,  one  and  all,  abominably  paved, 
looking  neither  comfortable  nor  picturesque.  We  arrived 
at  Rastadt  by  half-past  ten  in  the  morning,  for  the  heat 
was  now  so  excessive  that  it  was  impossible  to  travel 
above  two  hours  after  the  sun  was  fairly  up. 

Eastadt  is  a  small  deserted  town  in  a  great  plain,  with 
an  immense  palace,  to  which  the  town  seems  merely  an 
appendage  ;  and  how  or  why  anybody  placed  an  immense 
palace  in  such  a  situation  without  the  previous  induce- 
ment of  a  great  town,  is  difficult  to  imagine.*  As  the 
palace  is  no  longer  inhabited  (the  Elector  of  Baden 
residing  at  Carlsruhe),  it  is  not  much  furnished ;  indeed, 
in  the  many  visits  paid  by  the  French  in  the  course  of 
the  war,  they  took  away  almost  everything  that  was 
takable,  so  that  when  the  French  deputies  and  those  of 
the  Elector  of  Mentz  were  lodged  there  at  the  time  of 
the  Congress,  furniture  was  sent  from  Carlsruhe.  There 
is  some  good  tapestry  from  Flemish  pictures,  and  the 
room  remains  untouched  which  contains  in  glass  cases 
the  Turkish  spoils  (saddles,  daggers,  scymitars,  &c.  &c.) 
taken  by  Prince  Louis  of  Baden  from  the  Turks. 


*  It  was  built  by  the  eccentric  Margravine  Sybilla,  wife  of  the  heavy  Louis 
of  Baden,  who  fought  against  the  Turks  along  with  Prince  Eugene.  Two 
congresses  have  been  held  under  its  roof:  one  in  1714,  when  Marshal  Villars 
and  Prince  Eugene  signed  a  treaty  of  peace ;  and  the  other  1798-99,  termi- 
nated abruptly  by  the  murder  of  the  French  envoys. — Murray's  Handbook. 

VOL.  II.  T 


274  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

There  are,  besides,  in  a  gallery,  and  scattered  over  all 
the  apartments,  a  number  of  portraits  of  margraves  and 
margravines,  to  me  excessively  entertaining  as  the  per- 
fection of  bad  taste.  Among  other  happy  conceits  of 
some  court  painter,  is  that  of  representing  some  mar- 
grave's family  under  the  figures  and  composition  of  Le 
Brun's  '  Tent  of  Darius.'  One  must  have  seen  the  picture 
to  conceive  its  ludicrous  effect,  or  the  taste  of  the  prince 
who  could  order,  or  of  the  painter  who  could  execute, 
such  comical  ideas.  The  entrance  to  this  neglected  palace 
is  guarded  by  a  few  soldiers,  and  the  apartments  are 
shown  by  a  housekeeper  whose  dress  and  appearance  is 
more  old-fashioned  than  her  palace. 

Walked  to  a  manufactory  of  carriages,  where  one  of 
the  partners  spoke  perfectly  good  English,  although  he 
had  not  been  in  England  for  thirty  years.  The  carriages 
were  neatly  made  as  to  the  iron  and  wood  work ;  but  the 
springs  awkward,  the  coupe  bad,  and  taste  entirely  want- 
ing ;  the  price  about  half  ours  in  England. 

The  yet  unexplained  and  inconceivable  murder  of  the 
two  French  deputies,*  sent  to  the  Congress  in  1798,  took 
place  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  town,  just  at  the 
entrance  into  a  wood  through  which  the  road  to  Stras- 
bourg lies.  The  exact  spot  was  shown  to  us  from  a  ^sort 
of  look-out  at  the  top  of  the  palace. 

Monday,  Aug.  1st — We  got  to  Carlsruhe  before  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  from  Eastadt,  three  German  miles. 
The  road  is  bordered  the  whole  way  with  Lombardy 
poplars,  one  of  the  most  fatiguing  and  tiresome  pieces  of 


*  At  the  end  of  April,  1799,  Bonnier,  Jean  Debry,  and  Roberjot  left 
Rastadt  for  Strasbourg.  A  snort  distance  from  Rastadt,  they  were  sur- 
rounded, attacked,  and  dragged  from  their  carriage.  Bonnier  and  Roberjot 
were  murdered,  Jean  Debry  escaped  slightly  wounded.  All  the  papers 
relating  to  their  mission  were  seized  by  the  assassins,  who  were  suspected 
to  be  the  very  hussars  sent  as  their  escort ;  but  the  affair  is  wrapt  in  mystery 
to  this  day. 


1803]  CARLSRUHE.  275 

German  pomp  that  I  know,  and  which  rather  adds  to  than 
amends  the  insipidity  of  a  flat  country.  About  a  league 
and  a  half  from  Eastadt,  the  road  in  the  poplar  avenue 
being  very  sandy,  the  postilion  left  it  and  went  across 
fields.  This,  in  winter,  would  not  have  been  practicable. 
Carlsruhe  is  a  pretty  clean-looking  town,  with  many  new 
buildings  going  on.  Like  all  German  towns  (in  this  part 
of  the  world),  the  houses  are  low  and  the  streets  wide^ 
and  they  almost  all  have  a  reference  to  the  Chateau,  for 
Carlsruhe  is  said  to  be  in  the  shape  of  a  fan,  the  Chateau 
being  at  the  point  where  the  sticks  unite — the  sticks  the 
garden  before  the  palace,,  the  building  in. the  Place  opposite- 
the  edge  of  the  mount,  and  the  streets  the  different  folds 
of  the  mount.  The  Place  is  formed  by  a  circular  facade 
of  buildings  supporting  a  colonnade,  and  the  space  between 
is  occupied  by  a  parterre  divided  by  high  cut  hedges, 
making  alleys  wide  enough  for  a  carriage,  the  largest  alley 
exactly  opposite  the  centre  of  the  palace.  The  apart- 
ments are  handsome.  Pictures  there  are  none  but  family 
portraits,  much  in  the  Eastadt  style.  From  the  top  of 
the  tower,  which  the  man  who  shows  the  apartments  will 
by  no  means  allow  you  to  escape,  is  to  be  seen  the  forest 
behind  the  garden,  cut  into  thirty  avenues,  all  a  perte  de 
vue,  and  all  diverging  from  the  palace  as  their  centre. 
The  garden  is  pretty,  in  the  English  style,  and  is  open  to 
the  public  ;  in  a  little  low  sort  of  pavilion  at  the  edge  of 
the  wood  there  is  a  polisher  of  agates  and  other  hard 
stones,  established  under  the  immediate  protection  of  the 
court.  Strangers  are  carried  there ;  the  agates  (which, 
I  believe,  come  from  Bohemia)  are  really  beautiful.  We 
saw  many  good-looking  carriages  in  the  streets,  attended 
by  clean  servants  in  handsome  liveries,  and  were  sorry 
that  our  impatience  to  get  to  Frankfort  prevented  us  from 
staying  longer,  delivering  our  letter  to  Madame  d'Edels- 
heim,  the  minister's  wife,  and  seeing  the  monture  of  a 

T   2 


276  MISS  BERET'S  JOUEXAL.  [isos 

German  court,  which  is  allowed  on  ah1  hands  to  be  one 
of  the  most  agreeable  of  its  sort. 

Tuesday,  2nd. — The  road  to  Durlach,  for  three  English 
miles,  is  one  uninterrupted  line  of  poplars.  Bruchsal  is  a 
large  thriving  town,  with  an  immense  palace,  now  belong- 
ing to  the  Elector  of  Baden,  but  formerly  to,  and  (I  believe) 
the  residence  of,  the  Bishop  of  Spire.*  The  country  from 
hence  has  much  corn  and  vines,  with  pretty  wooded  hills  on 
the  right  hand,  while  the  great  flat  valley  of  the  Ehine 
continues  on  the  left.  From  Weisloch  to  Heidelberg  the 
country  begins  to  be  less  uninteresting.  Heidelberg  is 
the  only  .finely-situated  town  I  have  yet  seen  in  Germany 
upon  this  route.  The  Neckar,  a  pretty  clear  rocky  stream, 
runs  through  it,  and  the  ground  rises  both  immediately 
behind  the  .town  and  upon  the  other  side  of  the  river  ;  the 
lower  part -of  the  hills  clothed  with  vines,  the  higher  with, 
extensive  woods. 

The  old  castle,  the  residence  of  the  Electors  Palatine,  is 
in  every  point  of  view  remarkably  picturesque.  Some 
arched  substructures  supporting  terraces  give  it  at  a  dis- 
tance the  appearance  of  a  Eoman  ruin.  But  it  is  in  fact 
a  building  of  the  sixteenth  or  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  many  parts  of  it  more  modern.  The  whole 
is  now  in  ruins,  and  without  roof  or  windows,  except  the 
chapel,  which  is  still  used  for  service.  This  magnificent 
palace,  which  was  added  by  different  electors  to  the  old 
fortress  that  crowned  the  rock  above  the  town,  is  certainly 
one  of  the  finest  situations  I  ever  saw.  From  a  stone  ter- 
race before  the  principal  front,  you  look  down  to  the  beau- 
tiful near  ground  and  to  the  valley  of  the  Ehine  towards 
the  left ;  from  another  front  you  look  up  the  winding 
course  of  the  Neckar.  The  masses  of  building  are  curious 
and  elaborate  in  their  external  ornaments.  That  on  the 

*  This  inanimate  town  of  7,200  inhabitants  formerly  belonged  to  the 
Prince  Archbishop  of  Spire,  whose  vast  palace,  now  empty,  stands  near  the 
gate  leading  to  Frankfort. 


1803]  HEIDELBERG.  277 

front  towards  the  court  is  covered  with  the  sort  of 
pilasters,  friezes,  and  flat-worked  ornaments  of  the  age  of 
our  James  L,  and  indeed  was  not  unlike  what  I  remem- 
ber of  old  Somerset  House.  The  other,  which  faces  the 
town,  has  the  same  style  of  ornament,  but  in  the  piers 
between  each  window  is  a  large  niche  containing  a  whole- 
length  figure  in  stone  of  the  different  Electors  Palatine, 
with  their  names  and  dates  on  a  tablet  underneath.  The 
execution  of  some  of  these  statues  is  excellent.  They 
are  portraits  not  only  of  the  persons,  but  of  the  dress  of 
their  time,  and  are  as  such  extremely  curious.  One  part 
of  the  building  joins  on  to  a  fine  octagon  tower  of  the  old 
fortress,  which  has  been  twice  struck  and  is  half  destroyed 
by  lightning,  together  with  a  large  portion  of  the  more 
modern  building  attached  to  it. 

In  a  cellar  of  this  chateau  is  the  far-famed  tun  of 
Heidelberg,  constructed  by  the  Elector  Charles  Theodore; 
the  initials  of  his  name  are  in  gold  letters  upon  an  es- 
cutcheon on  each  end  of  it — for  what  purpose  one  can 
hardly  conceive.  It  was  never  full  but  once,  has  long 
been  quite  empty,  and  will  in  all  probability  never  contain 
anything  again,  as  it  is  out  of  repair,  and  would  cost  I 
forget  how  many  thousand  florins  to  mend.  When  the 
great  King  of  Prussia  once  visited  it,  they  put  a  small 
cask  of  exquisite  hock  within,  and  piercing  the  great 
tun  drew  out  the  wine,  pretending  the  whole  filled  with 
the  same.  There  is  a  railing  round  the  upper  part  of  it, 
within  which  twelve  persons  have  dined.  From  its  im- 
mensity, and  its  not  being  hooped,  but  ribbed  like  a  ship, 
it  gives  one  no  idea  of  a  barrel,  and  is  more  like  the 
bottom  and  stern  of  a  vessel.  Heidelberg,  and  the  coun- 
try immediately  about  it,  was  the  scene  of  some  of  the 
hottest  actions  between  the  French  and  Austrians  during 
the  last  war.  At  different  epochs  they  alternately  occu- 
pied the  town  and  disputed  the  possession  of  the  stone 
bridge  over  the  Neckar.  The  gate  which  opens  upon 


278  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

this  bridge,  its  two  towers,  the  statue  of  the  Elector  upon 
the  bridge,  and  every  part  of  its  balustrades,  &c.  &c., 
nearest  the  town,  are  still  covered  with  the  marks  of 
bullets  for  the  most  part  at  the  distance  of  a  very  few 
inches.  It  was  upon  this  bridge  that  Prince  Maurice  of 
Lichtenstein  was  wounded,  and  his  faithful  dog  Diane 
wounded  and  lost.  Heidelberg  is  a  populous  town  with 
a  number  of  good-looking  shops.  The  great  church,  used 
now  both  by  Protestants  and  Catholics  alternately,  is  quite 
bare.  The  quantity  of  grapes  upon  all  the  vines  in  this 
neighbourhood,  and  indeed  in  all  the  wine  country  through 
which  we  have  passed,  is  something  wonderful,  and  far 
exceeds  any  remembered  year  of  plenty. 

Wednesday,  3rd. — Left  Heidelberg  at  four  o'clock ; 
reached  Darmstadt  soon  after  eleven,  even  then  overcome 
by  the  excessive  heat  and  dust.  The  inn  afforded  us  but 
little  relief,  with  the  sun  basking  upon  it — no  shutters, 
no  blinds,  no  anything  but  a  white  linen  curtain  to  .defend 
us  from  its  power.  Here  we  sat  panting  till  the  evening, 
when  we  sallied  forth  with  a  guide,  who,  as  usual,  could 
speak  nothing  but  German,  and  our  interpreter,  to  walk 
about  the  town.  The  residence  of  the  Landgrave  is  a 
large  old  ugly  melancholy-looking  building,  with  a  small 
irregular  court,  and  a  large  clumsy  body  of  modern 
buildings,  not  finished,  but  left  in  that  most  dismal  of  all 
states,  which,  without  appearance  of  habitation  or  com- 
fort, does  not  even  promise  to  become  a  picturesque  ruin, 
but  remains  with  all  its  windows  boarded  up,  a  sad  monu- 
ment of  the  palace-building  mania  of  German  princes. 
They  do  not  show  the  apartments  inhabited  by  the  Prince, 
therefore  I  conclude  they  are  not  worth  seeing.  Every- 
where in  the  town  are  to  be  seen  a  number  of  clean  well- 
dressed  troops.  They  are  the  principal  trade,  if  not  of  the 

town  at  least  of  the  Landgrave,  with  whom  as  well  as  with 

• 
his  cousin  of  Cassel,  we  have  had  many  subsidiary  treaties. 

The  garden  of  the  palace  is  public  ;  it  is  laid  out  a  I' An- 


1803]  DARMSTADT  TO   FRANKFORT.  279 

glaise,  with  a  shrubbery  here,  a  winding  walk  there,  and 
a  temple  at  every  turn.  I  never  saw  a  cut  walk  and  a 
parterre  I  should  not  have  preferred  to  it.  The  theatre 
of  the  court  opens  into  it,  and  the  interior  of  this  is  really 
pretty ;  and  there  are  besides  several  rooms  lately  fitted 
up  with  much  simple  elegance,  used  for  suppers  and 
cards,  &c.  &c.,  when  the  theatre  is  turned  into  a  ball  or 
concert  room.  There  is  a  French  bookseller  here,  with  a 
very  good  collection  of  French  books.  At  Carlsruhe 
the  principal  bookseller  had  very  few  but  German  and 
the  classics. 

Thursday,  4th.  —  Left  Darmstadt,  passing  through 
a  number  of  large  farming  villages,  which  looked  neither 
clean  nor  comfortable.  They  are  all  execrably  paved, 
have  generally  a  dirty  green  standing  pool,  or  some  stream 
of  water  not  confined  within  proper  bounds,  and  are 
always  the  worst  bits  of  road  the  carriage  has  to  go  over. 
The  roads  within  the  domain  of  the  Landgrave  of  Darm- 
stadt are  excellent,  the  barriers  very  frequent,  but  they 
are  cheerfully  paid  by  all  distant  travellers.  It  is  to  be 
observed  that  from  Basle  to  Frankfort  one  does  not  pass 
one  single  chateau  or  gentleman's  country-house  of  any 
sort  or  kind,  or  any  country  habitation  in  any  of  the 
villages  above  that  of  a  common  farmer ;  this  could  not 
be  the  case  in  any  route  in  France,  Italy,  or  Switzerland, 
and  very  much  takes  away  both  from  the  beauty  and 
interest  of  the  country — open,  flat,  and  generally  sandy 
roads  through  oceans  of  corn,  often  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  diversified  only  by  the  culture  of  hemp,  and  near 
the  villages,  with  plantations  of  poppies,  compose  no  very 
charming  prospects,  and  supply  no  very  interesting  recol- 
lections to  eyes  and  minds  fresh  from  the  beauties  of  Nice 
and  of  Switzerland.  Frankfort  is  a  large  populous  Ger- 
man town,  with  wide  streets,  and  large  houses  having 
often  twelve  and  fourteen  windows  in  front.  The  street 
in  which  are  the  two  great  inns,  the  Maison  Eouge  and 


280  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

the  Empereur,  may  really  be  called  magnificent  from  its 
length,  its  breadth,  and  its  being  entirely  composed  of 
large  houses,  one  or  two  of  which,  recently  built  by  rich 
merchants,  have  handsome  architectural  fronts  ;  the  older 
houses  have  in  general  heavy  grotesque  ornaments  about 
the  door  (generally  a  porte  cochere],  and  finely-flourished 
and  ornamented  water-spouts  projecting  far  into  the  street, 
sometimes  in  the  shape  of  dragons,  lions,  &c. ;  for  instead 
of  concealing  this  necessary  appendage  to  the  roof,  they 
seem  to  consider  it  as  a  happy  occasion  for  enriching  and 
distinguishing  the  front.  In  other  parts  of  the  town  there 
still  remain  many  old  houses,  with  their  first  stories  pro- 
jecting over  the  ground  floor,  and  painted  on  the  outside 
so  as  to  conceal  their  being  constructed  only  of  what  is 
called  in  England  post  and  pan. 

Frankfort  is  a  regularly  fortified  town,  with  a  broad 
ditch  full  of  nasty  stagnant  water.  Immediately  without 
the  fortifications  is  a  road  for  carriages  planted  with  trees 
on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  side  bordered  with  country- 
houses  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  many  guinguettes,  &c.  &c.,  just 
about  as  rural,  as  picturesque,  and  in  as  good  taste  as 
the  environs  of  Islington  ;  this  road  is  full  every  evening 
of  people  airing  in  carriages  and  on  horseback.  Frank- 
fort has  every  appearance  of  an  opulent  place. 

The  banker  Betteman  has  a  very  pretty  country-house, 
with  a  large  garden,  outside  one  of  the  gates.  Here  we 
were  invited  two  days  after  our  arrival  at  Frankfort  to 
pass  the  evening.  We  went  about  eight  o'clock,  and 
found  between  thirty  and  forty  people  assembled  in  the 
garden.  The  women  were,  for  the  most  part,  great  fat 
heavy-looking  persons,  much  overdressed,  civil  in  their  man- 
ners, but  not  particularly  accueillante  to  strangers.  The 
men,  too,  smacked  prodigiously  of  a  trading  city ;  and  as 
their  conversation,  when  not  addressed  to  us,  was  always 
in  German,  we  were  not  much  the  better  for  it.  In 
about  an  hour's  time,  most  of  the  people  retreated  from 


1803]  FRANKFORT   TO    CASSEL.  281 

i 

the  garden  into  the  house.  The  principal  apartment  was 
lighted  up.  Before  we  went  away,  between  ten  and 
eleven,  we  walked  over  the  house,  and  found  I  know  net 
how  many  rooms  elegantly  furnished,  and  quite  full  of 
card  tables.  This  house  is  the  first  in  Frankfort.  Young 
Betteman  himself  has  the  air  of  a  grand  seigneur,  giving 
dinners  and  suppers  to  all  the  foreign  princes  and  foreigners 
of  distinction  passing  through  Frankfort. 

Sunday,  7th. — Called  upon  Comtesse  Degenfelt,to  whose 
husband  we  had  a  letter  from  Prince  Maurice  of  Lichten- 
stein.  He  is  a  very  gentlemanlike,  good-humoured  young 
man,  at  the  head  of  the  military  in  the  Emperor's  service 
at  Frankfort,  for  the  purpose  of  recruiting,  which  both 
the  Emperor  and  the  King  of  Prussia  have  the  right  of 
doing  in  this  free  imperial  city,  which  is  guarded  by 
troops  of  its  own — very  clean,  well-clothed  men  in  a 
uniform  of  blue,  faced  with  white.  With  Comte  and 
Comtesse  Degenfelt  we  took  a  drive  along  the  bank  of  the 
river,  bordered  the  whole  way  with  country-houses. 

Monday,  Sth. — The  heat  was  so  excessive  in  our  Hotel 
de  1'Empereur.  The  noise  so  great,  being  at  the  corner 
of  a  street,  we  changed  our  apartments  to  a  quieter 
situation,  and  close  to  the  principal  bookseller's  (Es- 
linger). 

Thursday,  ~Llth. — Finding  it  impossible  to  get  any 
satisfactory  information  at  Frankfort  as  to  what  route  we 
were  to  take  towards  home,  and  where  we  could  cross 
the  water,  and  not  receiving  the  letters  which  we  hoped 
before  now  would  have  followed  us  from  Lausanne  with 
a  permission  to  pass  through  France,  we  most  unwillingly 
set  out  before  five  o'clock  this  morning,  to  continue  our 
pilgrimage  to  Cassel.  We  made  a  marvellous  long  day's 
journey — five  German  posts,  or  about  fifty-five  English 
miles,  in  thirteen  hours  to  Marbourg,  where  we  slept. 
It  is  for  the  most  part  chaussee,  and  the  villages  still 
more  comfortless-looking  in  Hessia  than  elsewhere.  At 


282  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Birsbach  a  great  deal  of  black  dyeing  is  going  on,  and 
some  appearance  of  business.  Geissen  is  a  fortified  town, 
with  a  garrison  of  Hessian  troops.  About  Marbourg  the 
country  is  beautiful,  and  the  town  itself  situated  on  the 
side  of  a  hill,  the  top  of  which  is  crowned  by  a  chateau,* 
part  of  it  modern,  part  more  ancient.  There  is  here  a 
university  f  or  public  school.  The  town  consists  of  nar- 
row streets,  of  odd  old  post-and-pan  houses,  built  up-hill 
and  down,  very  picturesque  in  situation,  and  seen  at  two 
leagues'  distance  on  this  road. 

Friday,  I2th. — At  Wabern,  an  insignificant  village, 
there  is  a  country  palace  of  the  Elector  of  Hesse  for 
shooting  herons,  which  he  never  shoots,  and  where  he 
never  comes.  This  one  country-house,  like  a  hunting- 
box  in  England,  is,  however,  the  one  only  country-house 
of  any  sort  or  kind  that  we  have  seen  since  we  left  Basle. 

We  found  here  a  tolerably  clean  little  inn,  where,  as  it 
was  a  rainy  evening,  we  resolved  to  stay.  A  young 
woman,  some  relation  of  the  house,  spoke  English  by  no 
means  ill.  Her  father  had  been  a  Hessian  sergeant,  and, 
serving  in  America,  had  married  an  American.  The  inns 
in  the  little  villages  of  Germany  bear  no  proportion  to 
the  badness  of  those  in  the  great  towns. 

Saturday,  13^A. — The  road  from  Wabern  to  Cassel  is 
an  excellent  chaussee.  The  country  very  pretty.  There 
is  a  steep  ascent  before  entering  the  town  of  Cassel ;  its 
neat,  broad,  well-built  streets  and  large  Places  are  very 
striking. 

Sunday, "L4:th. — Mr.  Brook  Taylor,  the  English  Minister, 
whom  I  knew  a  little  in  London,  called  upon  us.  I  asked 
his  advice  about  sending  a  messenger  to  Hanover,  to  beg 

*  The  ancient  caatle  of  the  Landgraves  of  Hesse,  a  structure  of  the  chival- 
rous ages,  now  a  prison,  commanding  a  fine  prospect. — See  Mun-ay's  Hand- 
book. 

t  The  University  was  the  first  founded  in  Germany  after  the  Reformation, 
1527. 


1803]  CASSEL.  283 

permission  from  General  Mortier*  to  pass  through  that 
country  to  Hamburg,  from  which  Mr.  Taylor  rather 
wished  to  dissuade  me ;  but  finding  he  had  no  other 
reason  for  so  doing  but  the  dislike  to  ask  anything  of  a 
Frenchman,  I  resolved  to  despatch  our  courier  the  next 
day  with  a  letter  I  had  already  written. 

Monday,  15^. — Went  to  the  parade  between  nine  and 
ten  o'clock.  In  the  summer  it  is  always  in  the  park 
behind  the  Orangerie,  and  the  Elector  comes  there  him- 
self every  Monday,  and  often  twice  a  week.  This  morn- 
ing he  reviewed  the  1st  and  2nd  Eegiments  of  Guards. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  clockwork  regularity  of  their 
movements ;  no  firing  is  ever  allowed  except  at  the  great 
reviews  for  about  a  fortnight  in  the  spring,  when  all  the 
military  are  collected  from  the  different  small  towns  in 
Hessia,  in  which  they  are  usually  quartered.  Their 
regimentals  are  very  handsome  (blue,  with  red  facings  and 
with  orange  facings  and  silver  Brandenbourgs),  and  their 
whole  appearance  very  clean  and  military.  In  short, 
their  Prince  does  nothing  else,  and  thinks  of  nothing  else, 
and  is,  I  believe,  one  of  the  greatest  adepts  in  every 
branch  of  the  art  of  what  is  called  '  German  discipline.' 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  fitness  of  the  locale  for  such  a 
parade ;  a  large  plain  of  fine  short  grass,  bounded  by  a 
high  wood  at  one  end,  and  by  the  gay  buildings  of  the 
Orangerie  at  the  other :  it  really  is  one  of  the  prettiest 
military  scenes  that  can  be  seen.  The  Elector  himself 

*  Edouard  Adolphe  Casimir  Joseph  Mortier,  Due  de  Trevise,  born  at 
Cambray  17G8.  He  took  part  in  the  wars  of  the  Revolution  in  1791 ;  he 
accompanied  General  Marceau  in  the  passage  at  Neuwied,  in  the  campaign  of 
179C,  and  continued  to  serve  with  distinction  throughout  the  whole  reign 
of  Napoleon.  In  1803  he  was  sent  to  Hanover,  to  command  the  French 
army  against  that  of  England — an  expedition  which  ended  so  unfortunately 
to  the  arms  of  England,  and  placed  Hanover  into  the  hands  of  France.  In 
1814  he  gave  in  his  adherence  to  the  Bourbons.  In  1815  he  was  named  by 
Napoleon  one  of  the  newly  created  peers ;  and  on  the  second  Bourbon 
restoration  he  was  excluded  from  the  Chamber  of  Peers,  but  reinstated  in 
1819. 


284  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

was  on  foot  the  whole  time,  and  in  every  part  of  the  line 
followed  by  one  or  two  aides-de-camp  and  one  garde-du- 
corps  in  an  odd  buff  uniform,  made  something  like  what 
we  call  '  an  old  English  dress,'  The  Elector  is  a  short 
stumpy  man  of  nearly  sixty  years  old,  with  a  veiy  hard 
ungracious  countenance.  In  the  evening  drank  tea  with 
Madame  Butlar,  wife  to  the  Electress's  charnbellan,  to 
whom  we  had  a  letter  from  the  Comtesse  L.  de  Werthem, 
Madame  Butlar  being  a  Saxon.  We  afterwards  walked 
with  her  in  the  park  and  through  the  Orangerie,  built  by 
the  present  Elector's  father.  It  is  never  now  inhabited 
by  the  large  orange-trees  (which  are  placed  on  the 
terrace),  but  is  used  as  a  sort  of  summer  palace,  some- 
times by  the  Elector,  and  at  present  by  the  Electress. 
The  Orangerie  consists  of  two  enormous  galleries  suited 
to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  built,  with  a  high  arched 
passage  forming  a  sort  of  hall  in  the  centre,  and  &  pavilion 
in  which  are  bedrooms  at  each  end.  One  of  the  long 
galleries  is  divided  at  present  by  large  screens,  making  the 
dining  room  and  the  salon.  Balls,  too,  are  often  given 
in  one  of  these  galleries,  and  supper  in  the  other. 

From  hence  we  walked  to  the  garden  of  Comte 
Malke,  the  Grand  Chambellan  de  la  Cour,  a  small  slip  of 
ground  just  above  the  bank  of  the  river  Fulda,  laid  out 
in  little  serpentine  walks  and  clumps  of  flowers  a  I'Anglaise, 
pretty  enough. 

Tuesday,  IQth. — Went  to  Madame  Butlar's  in  the 
evening;  walked  with  her,  Mr.  Butlar,  and  Comte 
Stotheim  to  see  the  bain  de  marbre,  in  one  of  the  pavi- 
lions of  the  Orangerie.  It  is  magnificent  of  its  kind — a 
large  square  room  panelled  entirely  with  marble,  and  in 
each  panel  a  large  bas-relief  executed  in  white  marble. 
They  were  all  done  by  an  Italian,*  whom  the  present 
Elector's  father  brought  with  him  from  Italy.  The  bath 

*  Monnot. 


1803]  CASSEL.  285 

has  a  cupola  over  it,  supported  upon  coloured  marble 
columns — marble,  in  short,  from  beginning  to  end.  From 
hence  we  walked  up  the  steep  wooded  bank  of  the  park 
by  a  very  pretty  winding'  path,  to  Bellevue,  the  house 
inhabited  by  the  Elector  when  he  resides  in  Cassel.  It  is 
much  more  like  a  country  than  a  town  house,  with  a 
pretty  small  English  garden  and  a  beautiful  view  of  the 
park,  the  Orangerie,  and  all  the  surrounding  country. 

Wednesday,  Ylth. — In  the  morning  to  the  picture- 
gallery.  It  is  itself  a  palace ;  one  room  is  entirely  lined 
with  and  contains  a  fine  collection  of  Japan  manufacture ; 
the  rest  are  hung  with  pictures,  and  there  is  also  a  long 
gallery  hung  with  pictures  on  both  sides.  It  contains 
many  fine  pictures,  particularly  portraits  by  Eembrandt 
and  exquisite  works  by  Teniers  and  P.  Potter  ;  a  large 
picture  of  Teniers,  full  of  small  whole-length  figures — the 
reinstating  the  Magistrature  of  Antwerp  after  they  had 
got  rid  of  the  Spanish  yoke — the  most  graceful  and  in- 
teresting of  his  works  that  I  ever  saw ;  an  exquisite 
Vandeveldt,  the  Sands  at  Scheveling  at  low  water,  with 
figures,  &c.,  quite  perfect  in  its  way ;  the  finest  flower 
pieces  by  Van  Huysen  ;  an  excellent  portrait  of  a  woman 
in  white  satin,  by  Titian. 

Dined  with  Mrs.  Taylor ;  nobody  but  ourselves,  his 
secretary  Mr.  Heathcote,  and  a  Mr.  Dewer,  an  English 
gentleman  long  resident  here.  Afterwards  drove  with 
Madame  Butlar  in  the  park  ;  fine  shady  alleys  and  wind- 
ing drives  for  carriages  near  a  large  piece  of  water,  and 
from  thence  to  the  pheasantry,  where  there  are  above 
200  gold  pheasants  and  as  many  silver  ones.  It  is  said 
that  the  Elector,  who  does  not  like  that  anything  should 
be  wasted,  has  them  killed  from  time  to  time  and  sends 
them  to  market. 

Thursday,  ISth. — To  WiUiamshohe  with  Madame 
Butlar.  It  is  two  English  miles  and  a  half  from  Cassel. 
Nothing  can  be  more  magnificent  than  the  appearance  of 


286  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isoa 

the  palace,  the  Chateau  d'Eau,  with  its  pyramid  crowned 
by  the  colossal  Hercules,  upon  the  top  of  the  finely 
wooded  hill  rising  above  the  palace.  In  the  midst  of 
this  extent  of  wood  the  Lowenburg  presents  itself  as  a 
half-ruined  old  German  castle,  standing  upon  an  abrupt 
heap  of  rocks ;  it  is  approached  by  a  winding  drive 
through  the  woods.  On  one  side  of  the  small  court 
within  is  the  chapel,  and  on  the  other  the  apartments ; 
they  are,  except  two  large  round  ones  in  the  great 
tower,  little  odd-shaped  rooms,  but  all  comfortable.  The 
Elector  lived  here  while  the  palace  below  was  building, 
and  now  is  here  some  part  of  every  day  in  summer. 
The  view  from  the  windows  is  very  extensive,  looking 
over  all  Cassel  and  the  surrounding  country,  but  still  the 
Lowenburg  is  more  beautiful  to  look  to  than  to  look  from. 
The  wralk  over  these  rocks  to  the  menagerie,  and  from 
thence  to  the  palace,  is  extremely  pretty,  through  what 
they  call  an  English  garden,  and  what  we  should  call 
grounds.  The  chateau,  with  its  two  wings,  is  entirely 
built  by  the  present  Elector,  is  of  Grecian  architecture, 
the  furniture  in  modern  French  taste.  One  wing  is  in- 
habited by  the  Comtesse  Stotheim  and  her  children,  and 
the  other  contains  a  magnificent  apartment  for  the  recep- 
tion of  any  foreign  prince  when  on  a  visit  to  the  Elector; 
but  during  this  Elector's  life  there  is  little  danger  of  the 
furniture  being  sullied  by  use ;  it  has  never  been  occupied 
but  once ;  and  the  same  parsimony  which  leads  him  to 
avoid  the  expense  of  making  his  Court  attractive,  leads 
one  to  conclude  his  pavilion  for  foreign  princes  will  not 
often  be  occupied.  The  other  pavilion  is  more  fully  and 
constantly  inhabited — the  Comtesse  Stotheim  having  had 
no  less  than  fifteen  children  by  the  Elector,  four  only  of 
whom,  however,  are  alive.  Immediately  at  the  back  of 
the  chateau  and  its  wings  is  a  large  lawn  with  a  broad 
gravel  walk  for  carriages,  and  it  is  surrounded  by  a  large 
English  garden  or  grounds,  and  to  my  eye  has  the  same 


1803]  CASSEL.  287 

fault  of  rising  immediately,  like  many  of  our  bald  Eng- 
lish modern  country-houses,  from  the  grounds,  without 
sufficient  architectural  substructures  arid  approaches  to 
accompany  and  announce  the  building.  After  seeing  the 
Lowenburg  and  the  chateau,  and  sitting  under  the  trees 
of  an  open  grove,  we  were  joined  by  Mr.  Taylor,  Mr. 
Heathcote,  and  Mr.  Marescotti,  and  dined  at  the  inn 
together.  After  dinner,  Mr.  Taylor  having  obtained  per- 
mission for  the  waters  to  play,  we  made  the  tour  of  the 
grounds  to  see  them.  Carriages  and  horsemen  are 
allowed  to  go  all  over  the  grounds  at  Williamshohe, 
keeping  to  the  gravel  road ;  a  permission  that  in  England, 
I  fear,  would  be  too  much  abused  to  be  long  admissible, 
and  which  speaks  well  for  the  good  behaviour  of  Germans, 
considering  that  this  Williamshohe  is  entirely  a  public 
garden.  The  water  sets  a  playing  two  or  three  stone 
pipes  in  the  Chateau  d'Eau,  of  which  I  have  heard  much 
better  in  Italy.  The  cascatelles  falling  in  a  thousand 
little  streams,  gushing  out  from  every  part  of  a  high 
woody  bank,  formed  upon  the  idea  of  the  cascatelles  at 
Tivoli,  are  well  contrived  and  have  a  good  effect,  as  the 
scene  is  wild  and  analogous.  The  Devil's  Bridge,  a 
humble  imitation  of  that  in  the  Alps,  is  pretty  enough 
seen  at  a  distance  ;  the  broken  aqueduct  very  good,  the 
situation  well  chosen,  forming  the  only  artificial  ruin  I 
ever  saw  successful. 

Sunday,  21st — Madame  Butlar,  Mr.  Heathcote,  and 
Mr.  Marescotti  dined  with  us.  In  the  afternoon  Madame 
Butlar,  Mr.  Heathcote,  and  I,  drove  again  to  Williamshohe 
and  walked  about  parts  of  the  gardens  I  had  not  before 
seen ;  they  are  really  beautiful.  The  waters  played  as 
they  do  every  Sunday  afternoon,  and  there  were  a  good 
many  middling-looking  people  wandering  over  every  part 
of  the  grounds.  The  Comtess  Stotheim  was  in  the  gar- 
dens with  two  of  her  children,  their  governess,  and  an 
officer  with  her.  Madame  Butlar  went  up  to  her,  and  I 


288  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

had  half-an  hour's  conversation  with  her.  She  is  a  large 
good-looking  woman,  between  thirty  and  forty,  speaking 
better  English  than  French,  but  not  much  of  either,  with 
very  simple  unaffected  manners,  and  looking  heartily 
weary  of  the  wretched  metier  of  mistress  to  a  dull  prince. 
She  was  a  woman  of  no  birth,  to  whom,  at  a  very  early 
age,  the  Elector  took  a  fancy  and  to  whose  wishes  her 
parents  sacrificed  her,  with  extreme  reluctance  (it  is  said) 
on  her  part,  She  has  since  conducted  herself  well  in 
never  interfering  or  doing  mischief,  or  taking  upon  herself 
in  any  way.  During  the  residence  of  the  Elector  at  Wil- 
liamshohe,  which  is  the  whole  summer,  she  occupies 
one  of  the  pavilions;  when  he  comes  to  Bellevue  (the 
small  palace  at  Cassel),  she  has  a  house  near  it  on  the 
terrace. 

Monday ',  22nd. — One  of  the  two  yearly  fairs  at  Cassel 
began  this  day.  I  was  anxious  to  see  it.  When  we  had 
got  as  far  as  Madame  Butlar's,  I  felt  so  ih1  as  to  be  obliged 
to  return  home.  Every  symptom  of  a  high  fever  showed 
itself,  and  was  increased  in  the  course  of  the  day  by  the 
noise  in  the  streets  incidental  to  the  fair,  parties  of 
music  playing  eternally  either  before  the  door  or  in 
the  house.  Anxious  not  to  delay  our  journey,  I  beseeched 
my  sister  to  ply  me  every  quarter  of  an  hour  with  saline 
draughts,  and  though  the  fever  continued  so  high  all 
that  day  and  night  as  to  make  my  mind  wander,  yet 
the  next  morning  it  was  so  much  lowered  that  I  was 
able  to  be  put  into  the  coach  and  pursue  our  journey  by 
Gottingen  to  Hanover.  Our  courier,  whom  we  had  de- 
spatched to  General  Mortier  at  Hanover,  requesting  his 
permission  to  pass  by  that  route,  had  returned  with  a 
passport  in  full  form,  signed  by  Mortier  for  us  and  our 
servants  se  rendant  a  Hambourg.  We  went  from  Cassel 
by  Munden  to  Gottingen.  In  cultivation,  in  villages, 
and  in  the  appearance  of  the  people,  the  dominions 
of  Hanover  have  a  decided  advantage  over  every  part  of 


1803]  GOTTINGEN  TO   HAXOVER.  289 

the  north  of  Germany  that  I  have  seen.  Gottingen  is  a 
large  town,  with  straight,  wide,  uninteresting  streets.  I 
know  not  if  there  is  anything  fine  about  the  university ;  I 
was  too  ill  to  attempt  seeing  it,  but  as  all  the  young  men 
are  in  private  lodgings  in  the  town,  and  attend  the  profes- 
sors at  their  own  houses,  there  are  no  fine  architectural 
buildings  for  lodging  either  the  one  or  the  other  as  in  the 
English  universities.  In  the  principal  street  is  a  handsome 
stone  riding-house,  erected,  as  the  inscription  says,  by 
George  II.,  for  the  use  of  the  students  at  the  university. 

Wednesday,  24#A. — Eimbeck,  a  very  oddly  built  town, 
with  all  the  roofs  projecting  one  over  another,  and  orna- 
mented with  much  carved  wood.  Within  about  a  league 
of  Bruggen,  the  spokes  of  one  of  our  fore-wheels  became 
loose,  which  obliged  us  to  proceed  at  a  foot's  pace  to  the 
Post,  a  single  house  half  a  mile  from  the  village  of 
Bruggen.  Here  is  a  large  country  seat  (the  first  we  have 
seen  in  Germany),  belonging  to  M.  de  Steinberg,  who  was 
Hanoverian  Minister  in  London  for  a  few  months  before 
M.  de  Leuthe.  He  is  now  dead,  but  his  widow  inhabits 
the  chateau,  unmolested  by  the  French,  not  a  single  one 
of  whom  we  have  seen,  nor  are  to  see  (as  they  assure  us) 
till  we  reach  Hanover.  A  vast  deal  of  tobacco  is  culti- 
vated between  Cassel  and  this  place. 

Thursday,  25th. — Our  broken  wheel  detained  us  till 
two  o'clock  the  next  day.  The  two  posts  from  hence  to 
Hanover  are  quite  flat  and  good  road.  The  appearance  of 
Hanover  is  not  imposing  at  a  distance  ;  it  is  situated  in  a 
boundless  plain,  and  presents  nothing  to  the  approaching 
traveller  but  two  or  three  brick  towers  of  churches.  The 
streets  through  which  we  passed  contained  few  fine 
houses,  or  marked  buildings  of  any  sort. 

The  drive  about  the  town  in  search  of  lodging  was  the 
only  opportunity  we  had  of  seeing  anything  of  Hanover. 
It  was  dark  by  the  time  we  got  settled,  and  I  don't  know 
that  it  would  have  been  thought  prudent,  as  English' 

VOL.  II.  U 


290  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

travellers,  to  have  exhibited  ourselves  much  in  the  streets, 
full  of  French  soldiers.  At  the  gates,  surrounded  by 
French  soldiers,  not  a  question  was  asked.  The  carriage 
was  never  even  stopped,  as  is  common  in  all  German 
towns,  to  enquire  one's  name  and  whither  one  is  going. 
We  drove  into  Hanover  in  an  English  coach  as  we  should 
have  driven  into  York  or  any  other  town  in  England.  At 
the  inn  no  enquiry  for  our  passport,  no  sending  it  to  the 
municipality.  It  was  never  taken  out  of  my  letter  case 
from  the  time  we  left  Cassel  till  we  arrived  in  London.  I 
thought  it  right,  however,  to  send  a  note  to  General  Mor- 
tier  from  the  inn,  thanking  him  for  the  permission  he  had 
given  us  to  pass  through  Hanover,  and  accounting,  by  my 
illness,  for  our  not  having  used  it  sooner.  We  heard 
there  were  a  large  number  of  French  troops  ;  the  streets 
were  full  of  them,  but  the  most  exact  discipline  was  main- 
tained, and  that,  and  that  alone,  preserved  the  inhabitants 
from  ruin.  General  Mortier  was  lodged  in  the  Duke  of 
Cambridge's  house ;  Leopold  Berthier,*  the  Commissaire 
General  in  the  king's,  which,  it  seems,  nobody  but  the 
king  when  at  Hanover  ever  inhabited. 

Immediately  opposite  our  Hotel  de  Strelitz  was  a 
handsome  stone  hotel,  built  round  a  court,  which  they  oc- 
cupied as  some  public  office.  I  cannot  say  that  we  saw 
at  Hanover  any  marks  of  devastation,  of  houses  aban- 
doned, or  any  irregularities ;  and  all  the  horrible  stories  put 
into  our  papers  of  the  conduct  of  French  troops  upon  their 
first  arrival,  had  not  the  smallest  foundation  of  truth. 

Friday,  26th. — After  a  very  bad  supper  and  paying 
our  bill — the  very  highest  I  have  ever  known  in  Ger- 
many— we  left  Hanover  before  seven  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  were  probably  the  last  English  who  passed 
through  it.  I  own  I  regretted  being  obliged  to  leave  it 

*  Victor  Leopold  Berthier,  brother  to  the  Prince  of  Neufchatel  and 
Wagram,  born  1770.  He  was  a  distinguished  officer  in  all  the  important 
campaigns  from  1793  to  1806.  He  died  at  Paris  in  1807. 


1803]  HANOVER  TO   CELLE.  291 

without  seeing  something  more  of  a  place  of  which  all 
English  people  have  heard  so  much,  which  is  connected 
with  so  many  stories  in  the  latter  part  of  our  history,  and 
which  certainly  by  its  natural  attractions  would  never 
induce  a  traveller  to  return  to  it.  All  the  French  infantry 
were  on  foot,  and  the  generate  beating  before  we  left  the 
town  to  collect  them  to  attend  the  execution  of  three 
soldiers  who  were  to  be  fusilles  that  morning,  at  eight 
o'clock  for  having  in  a  squabble  murdered  a  servant  girl 
in  the  street.  The  execution  was  to  take  place  without 
the  town,  and  we  saw  numbers  of  the  townspeople  troop- 
ing out  to  see  it. 

An  excellent  hard  chausse'e  between  a  row  of  bricks  and 
limes,  on  the  road  to  Celle,  ends  at  about  a  league  and  a 
half  from  the  town,  and  leaves  one  'in  sand  literally  more 
than  half  way  up  the  spokes  of  the  wheels.     An  avenue  of 
wretched   little  birches  is  continued  the  whole  way  to 
Schilderslage ;  but  the  postilions  avoid  the  road  as  much 
as  possible,  and  keep  on  one  side  upon  a  sort  of  black 
heath.     The  whole  road  to  Celle  is  through  the  same  un- 
fathomable land,  marked  by   two  rows  of  birch-trees, 
which  alone  distinguishes  it  from  the  rest  of  the  country ; 
and  their  white  shining  bark  must  be  very  useful  in 
winter   to  guide  wretched   travellers   on  this  immense 
plain,  for  the  most  part  deep  black  boggy  earth,  through 
which  carriages  are  always  dragged  at  a  foot's  pace,  and 
those  within  may  think  themselves  lucky  that  its  unjolting 
nature  allows  them  to  take  refuge  in  sleep  from  its  most 
tiresome  sameness  and  slowness.     About  a  league  from 
Celle  .the  bog  changes  into  a  wood ;  but  the  sand  con- 
tinues on  every  side,  and  the  road  in  a  straight  line  con- 
tinues also.     But  upon  the  road  one  never  is  for  an  in- 
stant, and  often  half  a  mile  from  it.     The  town  of  Celle 
is  approached  by  a  pretty,  gay-looking  open  faubourg  ; 
1,600  French  soldiers,  cavalry  and  infantry,  are  now  quar- 
tered there.   The.  horses  of  the  cavalry  are  in  the  manege 


292  MISS   BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [1803 

of  the  cMteau ;  and  the  officers  and  men  in  the  chateau 
and  in  all  the  private  houses.  The  chateau  is  a  more 
picturesque  and  castle-like  building  than  most  German 
palaces :  we  did  not  go  to  see  it,  as  it  was  the  head- 
quarters, and  full  of  officers.  In  the  principal  church  are 
seen  the  monuments  of  the  Dukes  of  Celle  and  of  Bruns- 
wick-Lunenburg — curious  enough,  being  whole-length 
marble  figures  of  them  and  their  duchesses,  standing 
upright  in  niches  round  the  upper  part  of  the  choir.  In 
the  vault  beneath  it,  where  are  all  their  metal  coffins,  is 
that  of  our  poor  Queen  of  Denmark,*  who  passed  the  last 
years  of  her  short  and  unfortunate  life  here.  It  is  covered 
with  crimson  velvet,  and  richly  ornamented  with  ormolu ; 
the  whole  as  fresh  as  the  day  it  was  deposited.  In  the 
public  garden  there  is  a  marble  monument  to  her  memory ; 
a  wretched  thing  both  in  idea  and  execution,  and  now, 
though  enclosed  within  a  rail,  much  degraded  ;  the  copper 
letters  of  an  inscription  on  a  shield  having  been  taken 
away,  and  the  crown  broken.  The  design  of  the  group 
is  a  figure  descending  upon  clouds,  and  embracing  an  urn, 
on  which  is  a  bas-relief  head  of  the  queen.  A  little  boy 
(her  son,  I  suppose)  is  stretching  up  to  throw  flowers 
upon  it ;  and  another  female  figure  holding  an  infant  (I 
suppose  her  daughter)  to  look  at  it — the  whole  miserably 
executed. 

Saturday,  27th. — Left  Celle ;  passed  through  Bergen 
Yille. 

Sunday,  28$. — Wille ;  Haarburg  to  Hamburg,  a  two 
hours'  passage  by  boat. 

Tuesday,  30th. — Hamburg,  Pinneburg,  Elmshorn. 

Wednesday,  3 1st — Itzehoe,  Hohenhorn,  Heide. 

Thursday,  Sept.  1st — Heide,  Friederichstadt,  Huscom. 

The  inns  are  clean,  and,  without  exception,  fit  places 
for  a  night's  lodging ;  but  tea,  coffee,  and  bread  and 
butter  are  often  the  only  things  to  be  had. 

*  Matilda,  sister  of  George  III. 


1803]  ARRIVAL  IN  LONDOX.  293 

Monday,  19^. — Left  the  'Lark'  packet  in  a  pilot- 
boat,  which  landed  us  in  about  an  hour  between  two  little 
jetties  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Southwold,  to  which  we 
walked. 

Tuesday,  20th, — Southwold  is  three  miles  off  the  great 
Yarmouth  road.  No  post-horses  nearer  than  Yoxford^ 
near  Southwold.  Appearance  of  Ipswich  very  pretty  on 
descending  towards  it. 

Wednesday,  21st. — From  Ipswich  to  London.  Eoad 
very  good  the  whole  way.  We  had  left  our  coach  on  the 
other  side  of  the  water,  and  came  up  in  two  hack  chaises. 
At  Eumford,  as  usual  near  London,  the  horses  execrable, 
and  quite  knocked  up  by  the  time  we  got  to  town. 


294:  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 


1804. 

THIS  year  appears  very  barren  of  either  letters  or  jour- 
nals. One  sad  entry  appears  in  the  little  diary :  '  Col. 

engaged  to  marry  Agnes.     Engagement  broken  off 

in  the  spring.  Agnes  dangerously  ill.'  The  following 
letter  from  Professor  Playfair,  addressed  to  Miss  Berry, 
belongs  to  this  year : — 

Cambridge,  Sept.  28,  1804. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — .  ...  I  have  been  going  about  all  day 
looking  at  the  curiosities  of  this  ancient  seat  of  literature  and 
science.  Tho'  I  have  no  great  fondness  for  English  universities 
(owing,  you  will  say,  to  my  hyperborean  prejudices),  yet  I 
cannot  approach  a  place  that  has  been  so  long  the  residence  of 
learning  and  philosophy  without  much  veneration,  and  without 
reflecting  that  I  am  now  on  one  of  those  sacred  spots,  where  the 
light  of  truth  was  kept  alive  when  it  was  nearly  extinguished 
over  the  whole  earth.  One  must,  however,  regret  that  the 
institutions  which  have  answered  so  noble  a  purpose  have  not 
kept  pace  with  the  improvement  of  knowledge,  and  do  now  not 
unfrequently  retard  the  growth  of  sciences,  which  in  their 
infancy  they  served  so  happily  to  nurse.  In  going  into  a  great 
library,  it  often  occurs  to  me  to  take  up  some  remarkable  book, 
open  it  by  chance,  and  observe  what  turns  up,  as  the  truths  that 
thus  casually  are  suggested  to  the  mind  often  live  long  in  the 
memory.  To-day,  in  the  University  library,  I  took  up  a  book 
on  the  history  of  astronomy,  called  'Theatrum  Cometicum,' 
that  is  very  scarce  and  very  famous,  and  opened  it  to  try  the 
above  experiment.  The  chapter  that  turned  up  was  '  De  Causis 
Cometarum,'  and  the  first  sentence  was,  *  Causa  cometarum 
maxime  universalis  est  Deus.'  This  truism  was  all  I  had  for 
my  pains,  and  is  the  only  piece  of  instruction  that  I  am  likely 
to  carry  away  from  Cambridge.  Some  have  perhaps  gone  away 
with  less.  Such  as  it  is  I  send  it  to  Mrs.  Darner  and  you,  who 


1804]  LETTER   FROM   PROFESSOR   PLAYFAIR.  295 

will  be  at  no  loss  to  appreciate  the  voluminous  compilation  in 
which  it  is  contained.  .  .  .  Now  that  I  am  going  far  from 
you,  and  for  a  long  time,  allow  me  to  express  to  you  the  sense 
I  have  of  my  good  fortune  in  being  permitted  to  rely  on  you  in 
the  number  of  my  friends,  and  after  so  many  and  so  long  inter- 
vals to  have  met  you  always  the  same,  or  rather  with  a  kindness 
that  time  and  distance  seemed  even  to  have  increased.  This 
certainly  is  not  fashionable  friendship,  and  it  must  be  ac- 
knowledged that  one  of  the  persons  who  has  delineated  such 
friendship  the  best,  has  practised  it  the  least.  Among  my 
obligations  to  you  I  must  not  forget  the  acquaintance  of  Mrs. 
Darner,  the  liberality  of  whose  mind,  the  good  sense  and  sound 
reason  that  dictates  her  opinions,  are  not  less  remarkable  than 
her  elegance  and  taste.  May  I  entreat  you  to  present  my 
respects  to  her. 

I  am,  my  dear  Madam, 

Yours  sincerely, 
j  •  •  JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 


296  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 


1805. 

Entry. — Went  to  Scotland  with  Mr.  Lockhart.  At  Both- 
well*  for  three  months.  Eeturn  to  London  in  December 
with  Kobert. 

It  would  appear  by  the  following  letter  addressed  to 
Mrs.  Cholmeley,  that  Miss  Berry  had  at  this  time  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  engaging  herself  in  some  regular  em- 
ployment that  from  its  very  labour  would  have  given 
repose  to  the  over-activity  of  her  mind ;  but  it  is  also 
clear  that  the  plan  did  not  receive  the  sanction  of  those 
friends  whose  opinion  she  valued,  and  that  it  was  conse- 
quently abandoned : — 

North  Audley  Street,  March,  1805. 

First  let  me  thank  you,  which  I  do  most  sincerely,  for  the 
lively  interest  you  take  in  my  happiness  and  concerns,  and  for 
the  early  consideration  you  have  given  to  my  plan.  Your  first 
objection  as  to  the  light  in  which  such  a  step  would  be  con- 
sidered by  the  world,  and  its  consequent  example  to  others,  had 
already  presented  itself  to  my  mind,  and  is,  alas!  rendered 
so  forcible  by  the  statements  both  of  Mrs.  Darner  and  yourself, 
who  see  it  exactly  in  the  same  light,  that  I  fear  I  need  not 
(which  would  be  easy)  overcome  your  other  objections.  You  do 
me  the  justice  to  believe  that  regular  and  useful  employment 
would  greatly  increase  my  happiness.  Be  assured  it  would  con- 
stitute my  happiness,  such  as  alone  at  my  sober  time  of  life  I 
can  hope  to  experience,  and  what,  if  I  may  judge  from  the 
description  of  others,  I  never  knew  when  young.  But  I  have 
neither  a  discontented  nor  a  capricious  mind.  Eegular  em- 
ployment, however  mechanical,  and  what  many  people  would 

*  The  seat  of  Lord  Douglas. 


1805]  LETTER  TO   MRS.   CHOLMELET.  297 

call  tiresome,  provided  always  that  it  left  me  time  for  the 
uncontrolled  cultivation  of  my  mind,  would  be  to  that  mind 
repose,  restoration,  and  comfort,  after  the  manner  in  which  my 
time  is  now  frittered  away  by  myself,  because  I  have  no  suffi- 
ciently strong  motive  to  oppose  to  any  intrusion  on  my  attention 
by  others,  because  everyone  seems  to  think  they  have  an  equal 
right  to  what  I  don't  appear  to  make  any  decided  use  of  myself. 
I  was  not  born  for  indecision,  and  feel  myself  capable  of  making 
an  entire  change  in  the  disposal  of  my  time  and  of  my  habits 
of  life,  provided  such  change  was  satisfactory  to  my  reason. 
Passing  day  after  day,  therefore,  between  a  garden,  which  has 
ever  been  my  favourite  and  my  undiminished  taste,  and  writing 
accounts  or  letters  of  business,  which  would  occupy  my  hands 
only;  engaged  in  the  regular  performance  of  duties,  which 
would  be  neither  difficult  nor  irksome,  and  with  a  rational 
motive  for  meeting  and  overcoming  any  inconvenience  that 
might  occasionally  occur — believe  me,  I  should  see  nothing 
either  dull  or  dreadful  in  passing  evening  after  evening  uninter- 
ruptedly, trimming  my  lamp,  and  recurring  to  and  unravelling 
the  many  pursuits  after  which  my  soul  has  thirsted,  and  of 
which,  in  fact,  I  have  never  had  but  a  hurried,  imperfect,  and 
unsatisfactory  taste.  With  this  taste  in  the  early  part  of  my 
life  I  endeavoured  to  content  myself,  because  I  felt  my  situation 
imposed  on  me  many  duties,  superior  to  learning  languages,  or 
indulging  in  an  unrestrained  love  of  reading,  because  I  hoped 
I  was  then  labouring  for  future  repose  and  comfort.  I  have 
gone  on  sacrificing  the  present  for  the  future  till  no  future 
remains  to  me.  Still  I  have  spirit  enough  left,  you  see,  to 
resolve  that  no  uncomforts  of  situation,  no  sufferings,  shall  ever 
tempt  me  to  any  step  that  should  throw  me  on  the  mercy  of 
the  world,  or  add  my  name  as  an  additional  motive  for  preaching 
up  ignorance  and  meanness  to  my  sex.  Farewell !  You  will  see, 
at  least,  by  this  letter  that  I  am  not  obstinate  in  my  own  ways  of 
thinking ;  and  if  you  could  know  how  much  my  mind  requires 
some  resting-place  in  perspective,  you  would,  perhaps,  regret 
even  this  being  taken  away  from  it. 

Among  Miss  Berry's  many  literary  friends  was  Miss 
Catherine  Fanshaw,  the  well-known  authoress  of  the 
riddle  on  the  letter  H.,  and  of  many  other  poems. 


298  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  tisos 

The  following  letter,  with  the  playful  verses  that  ac- 
companied it,  show  that  they  were  on  terms  of  intimacy 
as  early  as  the  year  1805. 

The  ode,  supposed  to  be  written  by  Miss  Berry,  was  of 
course  the  composition  of  Miss  C.  Fanshawe,*  and  the 
receipt  of  it  is  acknowledged  by  Miss  Berry  in  the  same 
spirit  in  which  it  was  written : — 

I  return  you  your  Ode,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  with  many  thanks, 
and  with  all  due  apologies  for  having  detained  it  so  long. 
Believe  me,  I  no  longer  marvel  at  your  enthusiastic  admiration 
of  Gray,  whose  spirit  you  have  most  happily  infused  into  your 
admirable  poem.  Indeed,  his  own  works  could  never  charm  me 
so  much,  for  you  have  had  the  art  to  compress  into  a  small 
compass  his  most  valuable  passages,  and  to  give  them  an 
interest,  a  decision  and  a  dignity  of  subject  which  was  wanting. 

But  it  is  where  you  venture  to  depart  from  your  illustrious 
model  that  you  rise  to  the  highest  excellence,  and  acquire  an 
elevation  and  originality  that,  in  my  humble  opinion,  place 
your  Muse  on  a  higher  form  in  Parnassus  than  ever  his  could 
claim. 

The  '  Price  of  the  Hat '  is  a  figure  absolutely  new  in  poetry ; 
and  as  to  individual  character,  he  could  never  have  rendered  it 
with  that  truth  and  delicacy  which  we  acknowledge  in  the  por- 
traits of  yourself  and  Mrs.  Clinton.  If  in  so  splendid  a  work  I 
could  search  for  blemishes,  perhaps  one  might  be  found  in  the 
parody  of  two  lines,  which  after  all  must  ever  remain  inimit- 
able :  — 

And  they  that  creep,  and  they  that  fly, 
Shall  end  where  they  began. 

I  little  thought,  when  first  suggesting  to  you  the  idea  of  com- 
posing an  Ode  on  the  model  of  your  favourite  Gray,  or  when 

*  Catherine  Fanshawe,  co-heiress  -with  two  other  daughters  of  an 
ancient  gentleman's  family.  The  three  lived  together.  Besides  her  talent 
for  graceful  pleasantry,  whether  in  prose  or  in  verse,  admirable  as  a  letter- 
writer,  a  reader  of  Shakspeare,  and  as,a  designer  in  almost  every  style.  A 
first-rate  judge  of  art  says  her  drawings  and  etchings  are  those  of  an  artist, 
&c.  Too  few  of  her  poems  have  been  published ;  some  appearing  in  a 
volume,  consisting  of  miscellaneous  pieces  by  many  authors,  edited  by 
Joanna  Baillie. — Vide  Reminiscences  of  a  Literary  Life,  by  Miss  Mitford. 


1805]  ODE   BY   MIS§   BEKRY.  299 

you  lamented  at  the  Institution  the  delay  occasioned  by  the 
choice  of  a  new  bonnet,  I  little  thought  that  you  were  going  to 
immortalise  your  name  at  my  instigation.  This  glorious  cir- 
cumstance gives  me  a  sort  of  property  in  the  work,  by  which  I 
feel  entitled  to  request  that  you  would  show  it  sparingly  to  the 
few  who  may  be  worthy,  and  on  no  account  distribute  any  copies 
without  the  licence  and  authority  of  her  who  has  the  honour  to 
be,  with  sentiments  of  the  most  profound  admiration,  dear  madam, 
Your  obliged  and  obedient 

C.  M.  F. 

Ode,  by  Mary  Berry. 

Lo !  where  the  gaily-vestur'd  throng, 

Fair  Learning's  train,  are  seen, 
Wedg'd  in  close  ranks  her  walls  along, 

And  up  her  benches  green ! 

Unfolded  to  their  mental  eye 
Thy  awful  form,  Sublimity  ! 

The  moral  teacher  shows — 
Sublimity !  of  Silence  born, 
And  Solitude,  mid  *  caves  forlorn,' 

And  dimly-vision'd  woes. 
Or  stedfast  Worth,  that  inly  great, 
Mocks  the  malignity  of  fate. 
Whisper'd  Pleasure's  dulcet  sound 
Murmurs  the  crowded  room  around ; 
And  Wisdom,  borne  on  Fashion's  pinion, 
Exulting  hails  her  new  dominion. 
Oh !  both  on  me  your  influence  shed, — 
Dwell  in  my  heart,  and  deck  my  head ! 

Where'er  a  broader  browner  shade 

The  shaggy  Beaver  throws, 
And  with  the  ample  feather's  aid 

O'ercanopies  the  nose — 
Where'er,  with  smooth  and  silken  pile, 
Lingering  in  solemn  pause  awhile, 
The  crimson  velvet  glows — 


300  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

From  some  high  bench's  giddy  brink, 
With  me  my  Friend  begins  to  think, 

As  bolt  upright  we  sit — 
That  dress,  like  dogs,  should  have  its  day, 
That  beavers  are  too  hot  for  May, 

And  velvets  quite  unfit. 
Then  Taste  in  maxims  sweet  I  draw 

From  her  unerring  lip — 
'  How  light !  how  simple  are  the  straw ! 

How  delicate  the  chip  ! ' 

Hush'd  is  the  speaker's  powerful  voice, 

The  audience  melt  away ; 
I  fly  to  fix  my  final  choice, 

And  bless  th'  instructive  day. 

The  milliner  officious  pours 

Of  hats  and  caps  her  ready  stores, 

The  unbought  elegance  of  Spring; — 
Some  wide  disclose  the  full,  round  face ; 
Some,  shadowy,  lend  a  modest  grace, 

And  stretch  their  sheltering  wing. 

Here  clust'ring  grapes  appear  to  shed 
Their  luscious  juices  on  the  head, 

And  cheat  the  longing  eye  : 
So  round  the  Phrygian  monarch  hung 
Fair  fruits,  that  from  his  parched  tongue 

For  ever  seemed  to  fly. 

Here  early  blooms  the  summer  rose  ; 
Here  ribbons  wreathe  fantastic  bows  ; 
There  plays  gay  plumage  of  a  thousand  dyes ! 
Visions  of  beauty !  spare  my  aching  eyes  1 
Ye  cumbrous  fashions  I  crowd  not  on  my  head  ! 

Mine  be  the  chip  of  purest  white, 

Swanlike,  and  as  his  feathers  light, 
When  on  the  still  wave  spread  : 

And  let  it  wear  the  graceful  dress 

Of  unadorned  simpleness. 


1805]  ODE   BY  MISS  BERRY.  301 

Ah  frugal  wish !  ah  pleasing  thought ! 

Ah  hope  indulg'd  in  vain  ! 
Of  modest  fancy  cheaply  bought, 

A  stranger  yet  to  Payne ! 

With  undissembled  grief  I  tell 

(For  sorrow  never  comes  too  late), 
The  simplest  bonnet  in  Pall-Mall 

Is  sold  for  II.  8s. 

To  calculation's  sober  view, 

That  searches  ev'ry  plan, 
Who  keep  the  old,  or  buy  the  new, 

Shall  end  where  they  began. 

Alike  the  shabby  and  the  gay 
Must  meet  the  sun's  meridian  ray, 

The  air,  the  dust,  the  damp  : 
This  shall  the  sudden  shower  despoil, 
That  slow  decay  by  gradual  soil, 

Those  envious  boxes  cramp. 

Who  will,  their  squander'd  gold  may  pay, 

Who  will,  our  taste  deride ; 
We  '11  scorn  the  fashion  of  the  day 

With  philosophic  pride. 

Methinks  we  thus  in  accents  low 

Might  Sydney  Smith  address, — 
'Poor  moralist !  —  and  what  art  thou ? — 

Who  never  spoke  of  dress ! 
Thy  mental  Hero  never  hung 
Suspended  on  a  tailor's  tongue, 

In  agonising  doubt : 
Thy  tale  no  fluttering  female  show'd 
Who  languish'd  for  the  newest  mode, 

Yet  dared  to  live  without ! ' 

May,  1805, 


302  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

To  Miss  C.  Fanshawe. 

North  Audley  Street,  Sunday,  May  19. 

Mr  DEAR  Miss  CATHERINE, — You  should  know  how  much  I 
love  parody,  as  well  as  how  much  I  admire  Gray,  to  know  how 
much  I  am  delighted  with  my  own  Ode.  The  little  criticisms 
you  make  upon  it,  you  must  allow  me  to  say,  I  consider  as  dic- 
tated by  that  jalousie  de  metier  from  which  the  best  of  us  are 
not  entirely  exempted.  But,  however,  I  shall  be  very  anxious 
to  communicate  to  you  any  of  my  future  productions,  provided 
you  return  them  to  me  speedily  with  as  entertaining  a  comment 
as  accompanied  this  Ode. 

During  Miss  Berry's  residence  with  her  friends  at  Both- 
well  she  took  the  opportunity  of  visiting  a  cotton-mill 
established  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  following  detailed 
account,  as  showing  the  regulations  and  arrangements  in 
force  more  than  half  a  century  ago  in  such  establishments, 
may  not  be  without  its  interest;  more  particularly  as, 
through  the  courtesy  of  the  present  owner,  a  detailed 
account  of  its  present  state  (1860)  is  subjoined,  thus 
marking  the  progress  and  improvements  in  the  mode  of 
conducting  its  operations : — 

Tuesday,  November  8th. — Walked  to  the  cotton  mill 
upon  the  Clyde,  just  above  the  grounds  of  Both  well,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Nine  hundred  persons 
employed  about  it,  of  which  about  100  are  artificers  of 
various  sorts,  smiths,  carpenters,  &c.,  &c.,  to  keep  the 
buildings  and  machinery  in  repair.  The  remaining  800 
all  employed  in  the  various  operations  of  making  the 
cotton  ready  for  the  weaver  from  the  rough  state  in  which 
it  comes  home  in  bales.  Of  these  800,  nearly  500  are 
children  from  six  to  twelve  or  fourteen  years  old,  and  of 
the  remaining  300  there  are  many  more  women  than 
men.  The  children  are  for  the  most  part  apprentices, 
bound  to  the  manufacturer  for  six  or  seven  years  according 


1805]  COTTOX-MILL  AT  BOTHWELL.  303 

to  their  age,  for  their  food  and  clothing.     After  this  time 
is  out,  they  either  continue  on  to  receive  wages  or  go  to 
some  other  business.    I  am  sorry  I  did  not  ask  what  pro- 
portion of  them  continue  on  at  a  business  of  which  they 
must  have  had  such  a  melancholy  experience,  for  all  these 
children,  as  well  as  all  their  fellow  labourers,  are  employed 
fourteen  hours  a  day,  from  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  to 
eight  at  night,  of  which  time  they  are  allowed  an  hour 
for  breakfast,  from  nine  till  ten,  and  an  hour  for  dinner, 
from  two  till  three ;  after  which,  they  continue  uninter- 
ruptedly at  work  till  eight  at  night.     I  need  not  com- 
memorate  their  in  general  forlorn  and  squalid  looks ; 
they  are,  God  knows,  painfully  enough  impressed  on  my 
mind.      What   a  beginning,   gracious   heaven!    for  the 
dawn  of  human  animal  life  and  human  intellect !     A 
number  of  these  children  are  sent  from  the  parishes  in 
London.      They  have  just  now  thirty-six  or  forty  from 
the  parish  of  St.  Martin's-in-the-Fields.     God  help  them, 
poor  souls  !     Never  to  be  blessed  with  the  fond  endear- 
ment of  any  creature  caring  for  anything  but  their  mere 
existence  and  their  labour,  and  condemned  to  pass  the 
playful  years  of  childhood  in  a  wearisome  sameness  of 
employment,  to  which  childhood  is  so  particularly  averse. 
This  subject  has  been  so  often  enlarged  upon,  I  did  not 
mean  to  have  allowed  my  pen  a  line  upon  it ;  but  it  is 
impossible  to  have  had  it  brought  immediately  under 
one's  eyes  this  very  day,  and  not  express  one's  feelings 
somehow.     In  the  mean  time  all  such  care  is  taken  of 
these  children  as  perhaps  in  such  a  situation  is  possible. 
They  have  a  building  where  the  parish    children  and 
such  as  come  to  them  from  a  distance  are  lodged,  girls 
and  boys  separately;  they  have  porridge  of  oatmeal  at 
breakfast  and  supper,   and  broth  and  beef  for  dinner. 
They  have  a  master  to  teach  them  to  read  and  write, 
which  is  done  after  their  work  is  over  at  night,  and  they 
are  carried  to  church  of  a  Sunday.     But  what  an  idea  of 


304  MISS  BERET'S  JOUEXAL.  [isos 

that  religion  must  these  poor  souls  have,  which  coops 
them  up  in  a  church  for  three  hours  to  hear  a  (to  them) 
unintelligible  Scotch  sermon,  on  the  only  day  they  are 
allowed  the  '  common  air  and  common  use  of  their  own 
limbs.'  Oh  man,  man,  man !  what  ugly  things  in  detail 
are  most  of  thy  finest  contrivances!  The  men  and 
women  are  in  general  all  at  piecework.  The  carders  and 
reelers — I  mean  those  who  attend  the  carding  and  reeling 
(for  everything  here  is  done  by  machinery),  are  all 
women ;  they  earn  about  ten  shillings  per  week,  the  spin- 
ners from  fifteen  to  sixteen  shillings  per  week ;  these  too 
are  almost  all  women,  and  have  two  children  attending 
the  particular  machine  that  each  belongs  to. 

The  women  and  girls  that  are  at  weekly  wages,  such  as 
those  who  tie  up  and  sort  the  hanks  of  cotton  thread 
when  spun,  receive  from  six  to  seven  shillings  per  week. 
The  men  make  from  a  guinea  to  two  pounds  per  week.  I 
cannot  say  that  in  general  the  women  looked  unhealthy ; 
they  were  for  the  most  part  young  girls  about  and  under 
twenty,  and  some  of  them  good  looking.  Some,  on  the 
contrary,  objects  sadly  disfigured  by  nature.  They  all 
work,  as  in  all  manufactories,  in  large  lofts,  heated  by 
a  large  tin  tube  of  steam,  going  the  whole  length  of  the 
room,  and  giving  any  required  degree  of  warmth ;  it  was 
to-day  most  oppressive,  when  joined  to  the  smell  of  the 
cotton,  of  the  oil  of  the  machines,  and  of  the  people 
working  them.  This,  however,  might  certainly  be  avoided 
considerably  by  letting  in  fresh  air  at  the  windows  on 
both  sides,  all  of  which  open,  but  which  the  overseer 
said  they  seldom  used,  and  which  were  almost  all  shut  to- 
day, though  the  air  was  uncommonly  mild  without,  and 
most  oppressingly  hot  within.  I  have  said  that  the  whole 
operations  here  are  done  by  machinery ;  the  whole  is  moved 
by  one  great  water-wheel  18  feet  and  21  feet  in  diameter, 
which  turns  several  vast  iron  spindles,  communicating 
motion  to  all  the  endless  wheels  which  spin  six  thousand 


1805]  COTTON-MILL  AT   BOTHWELL.  305 

pounds  weight  of  cotton  thread  in  a  week.    A  fifth  part  is 
lost  in  the  manufacture ;  that  is  to  say,  to  produce  a  thou- 
sand pounds  weight  of  cotton  thread,  a  fifth  part  more  of  the 
raw  material  is  required.    Part  of  this  refuse,  however,  is 
not  perfectly  useless,  but  is  sold  to  be  used  up  in  coarse  yarn. 
The  only  operation  done  by  the  hand  is  picking  the 
cotton  as  it  comes  out  of  the  bale  quite  clean  ;  after  that 
it  is  beat,  carded,  and  spun,  all  by  machinery,  undergoing 
six  different  operations  before  it  is  ready  to  be  spun  into 
thread.     The  various  multitude  of  leather  straps  upon  all 
the  wheels  of  this  immense  machinery  costs  them  between 
three  and  four  hundred  pounds  yearly  in  leather,  and  the 
oil  and  candles  consumed  in  lighting  the  lofts  four  hundred 
pounds  a-year.   They  are  now  going  to  have  it  lighted  by 
the  new  contrivance  for  consuming  coal  smoke.     They 
likewise  at  this  manufacture  dye  cotton  of  a  most  beautiful 
colour  with  madder ;  they  say  such  is  the  demand  for  it 
that  they  could  use  twice  as  much  madder  as  they  can 
get.   The  cotton  yarn  undergoes  forty  different  operations 
before   it   is   made   ready  to   receive  the  colour.     The 
number  of  people,  which  I  have  stated  to  be  900,  em- 
ployed in  this  great  work,  together  with  their  wives  and 
children,  the  place  to  lodge  them,  and  the  persons  neces- 
sary to  feed,  clothe,  and  wash  for  them,  compose  a  little 
town — and  so  it   is,  in  fact,  becoming,  with  a  row  of 
houses,  two  or  three  shops,  &c.  &c. — the  only  real  foun- 
dation of  towns  which  the  Empress  of  Eussia,  with  all 
her  greatness,  in  vain  commanded,  and  Frederick  II., 
with  all  his  abilities,  in  vain  coaxed. 

The  factory  thus  described  is  called  Blantyre,  situated 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Clyde,  about  four  miles  below 
Hamilton,  and  continues  to  be  worked  by  the  same  firm 
as  in  1805,  viz.  Messrs.  Henry  Monteith  &  Co. 

The  numbers  at  work  in  May,  1860,  amounted  to 
1,061;  their  ages  and  employment  as  follows : — 

VOL.  II.  X 


306 


MISS   BERRY  S   JOUBNAL. 


[1805 


Males 

Females 

Total 

under  18 

above  18 

under  18 

above  18 

Spinning-mills   .... 
Weaving  factory 
Dye  works          .... 
Mechanics  and  labourers    . 

27 
1 
18 
1 

32 
20 
133 
55 

32 
41 
42 

169 
289 
201 

260 

351 
394 
56 

47 

240 

115 

659 

1061 

The  above  numbers  include  only  twelve  children  under 
thirteen  years  of  age ;  the  employment  which  required 
so  many  of  that  class  in  1805  having  been  long  since 
discarded.  The  system  of  binding  apprentices  was  given 
up  about  1809,  and  the  services  of  that  class  expired 
altogether  about  1816  or  1817.  While  that  system  con- 
tinued it  was  observed,  when  terms  of  service  expired, 
that  females  generally  remained  in  the  factory  working  on 
wages  and  binding  themselves,  while  the  males  more 
generally  went  forth  into  the  world.  This  factory 
appears  to  be  considered  a  home  by  all  who  have  been 
employed  in  it,  for  they  are  free  to  come  and  free  to  go ; 
there  is  no  engagement  of  any  kind  on  entering ;  a 
worker  is  permitted  to  leave  without  giving  notice  of  any 
kind — he  has  only  to  state  his  wish  to  the  manager,  who 
gives  him  a  line  to  the  clerk  to  make  up  his  wages, 
which  is  paid  immediately  and  no  questions  asked. 

No  children  are  now  received  from  any  parish  work- 
house, school  of  industry,  nor  any  charitable  institution 
of  any  kind. 

The  hours  of  labour  are  now  those  prescribed  by  the 
Factory  Act,  viz.  : — 

From  6    A.M.  till  9  A.M.      3    hours 
„     9|     „     „    2  P.M.      41      „ 
„     21  P.M.     ,   6  3i 


5  days         .     10^      „ 
Saturday. 

From  6    A.M.  till  9  A.M.      3    hours 


hours 


2  P.M. 


41          

^2  )> 


60 


180 5]  COTTOX-MILL   AT   BOTIIWELL.  307 

The  buildings  in  which  the  cotton-spinning  was  carried 
on  in  the  year  1805  have  remained  very  much  as  they 
were,  but  by  this  introduction  of  improved  machinery 
the  work  in  those  buildings,  as  well  as  keeping  the 
machinery  and  buildings  in  repair,  is  now  efficiently 
carried  out  by  260  workers,  of  whom  201  are  females 
and  59  males. 

The  building  of  four  stories,  called  the  picking-house, 
which  existed  in  1805,  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  has 
been  replaced  by  one  not  so  high  for  other  purposes,  as 
picking  by  hand  has  long  been  discontinued.  The  clean- 
ing of  cotton  is  now  all  done  by  machinery.  The  build- 
ings in  which  the  apprentices  of  former  days  were  lodged 
are  now  converted  into  warehouse  stores,  counting  house, 
and  an  armoury  for  the  rifle-corps. 

In  1809-10  a  large  building  was  added,  capable  of 
holding  350  power-looms. 

A  gas-making  apparatus  was  erected  in  1814,  by  which 
all  the  works  are  lighted  ;  and  since  1843,  all  the  dwell- 
ing houses  in  the  village,  as  well  as  the  streets,  have  also 
been  lighted  with  gas. 

In  1845  mechanics'  shops  and  stores  were  erected. 

A  good  school-house  is  kept  up  and  efficient  teachers 
provided ;  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  expense  defrayed  by 
the  company,  and  the  remainder  by  the  children  in  school 
pence.  Parents  not  connected  with  the  works  send  their 
children  that  they  may  participate  in  the  advantages  of 
this  school. 

The  children  are  taken  to  church  by  their  parents  to 
whatever  church  they  please.  There  are  two  Established 
churches,  two  Free  churches,  one  United  Presbyterian 
within  twenty  minutes'  walk  of  the  village  ;  besides  which 
the  Methodists  meet  in  the  village  school,  and  one  of  the 
Free  Church  ministers  delivers  a  sermon  every  Sabbatli  in 
the  school-house,  and  from  five  to  seven  o'clock  the 
schoolmasters,  assisted  by  the  heads  of  families  and  others 

x  2 


308  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

as  monitors  conduct  a  Sabbath  evening  school  in  the  school- 
house,  which  is  attended  by  180  to  190  children.  About 
two-thirds  of  the  inhabitants  attend  the  Free  and  United 
Presbyterian  churches,  the  remainder  are  divided  betwixt 
the  Established  Church,  Eoman  Catholics,  and  Methodists. 

The  village  belonging  to  the  works  in  1851  contained 
a  population  of  1,280  ;  there  are  now  about  1,400,  every 
available  house  being  occupied ;  and  were  there  a  fourth 
more  houses  added,  they  would  be  occupied  as  fast  as 
they  could  be  built. 

A  considerable  number  of  the  workers  come  from 
Both  well,  High  Blantyre,  and  other  adjacent  places ;  they 
come  in  the  morning  and  return  again  in  the  evening. 
There  are  also  a  large  proportion  who  come  from  aU  the 
coal  and  iron  works,  but  at  a  greater  distance.  They 
lodge  in  the  village  during  the  week,  going  home  upon 
Saturday,  and  returning  again  upon  Sabbath  evening. 

There  are  occasionally  a  few  who  having  natural  physi- 
cal defects  could  not  otherwise  gain  a  livelihood,  can  do 
the  light  work  of  the  mill  very  well. 


isoG]  LORD  NELSON'S  FUNERAL.  309 


1806. 
EXTEACTS    FKOM    JOURNAL. 

Jan.  13#A. — I  had  determined  immediately  after  seeing 
it,  to  mark  down  the  effect  Lord  Nelson's  funeral  should 
have  on  my  mind,  and  that  of  the  people  about  me.  I  had 
certainly  hopes  that  it  would  have  been  more  considerable 
than  it  was,  although  I  had  little  hope  of  its  being  con- 
ducted with  any  real  taste  or  solemn  effect,  knowing  that  its 
conduct  had  not  been  entrusted  to  any  persons  of  approved 
taste  themselves,  or  who  would  have  summoned  artists 
to  their  assistance.  On  the  water  it  was  a  crowd  of 
boats,  in  which  the  immense  city  barges  only  were  con- 
spicuous. It  is  much  easier  to  set  down  upon  paper  the 
regulations  of  a  ceremony,  such  as  that  the  boats  of 
the  river  fencibles  are  to  line  each  side  of  the  procession, 
&c.,  than  to  give  the  effect  of  a  procession  so  lined  on  the 
water  in  the  foggy  atmosphere  of  the  Thames.  The 
distance  of  time  between  the  minute  guns  fired  by  these 
river  fencibles  was  too  long  to  command  continued  atten- 
tion, and  therefore,  I  think,  failed  in  their  effect.  The 
music,  too,  was  not  sufficiently  loud  to  have  any  effect  at 
all ;  and  the  barge  which  contained  his  honoured  remains 
was  neither  sufficiently  large  nor  sufficiently  distinguished 
to  command  the  eye  and  the  attention  of  every  spectator, 
which  by  some  means  or  other  it  ought  to  have  done.  I 
was  looking  over  the  wall  of  Lord  Fife's  garden,  which 
forms  one  side  of  Whitehall  Stairs,  so  that  I  saw  the 
coffin  in  the  very  act  of  being  landed ;  saw  it  placed  on 
the  bier  on  which  it  was  borne  to  the  Admiralty.  The 


310  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [ISOG 

only  really  impressive  moment  was  that  in  which  the 
coffin  first  touched  the  ground.  At  that  instant  the  sky, 
which  but  a  few  minutes  before  had  been  clear,  poured 
down  at  once  a  torrent  of  rain  and  hail,  and  a  sudden 
gust  of  wind  arose,  the  violence  of  which  was  not  less  re- 
markable than  the  moment  at  which  it  took  place.  In  an- 
cient Eome,  or  in  later  days  of  modern  superstition,  such  a 
circumstance  would  have  been  recorded  as  the  moment  in 
which  his  spirit  sought  its  native  sky,  or  as  an  omen  of 
future  bad  luck,  from  the  instant  his  last  remains  quitted 
that  element  on  which  he  had  so  often  triumphed. 

On  shore  the  whole  ceremony  was  still  less  calculated 
to  gratify  the  feelings  it  naturally  inspired,  and  in  which 
(to  do  them  justice),  not  one  of  the  thousands  collected  as 
spectators  but  seemed  to  participate.  Never  was  there  so 
decent,  so  quiet,  so  serious,  so  respectful  a  mob.  Instead 
of  presenting  to  their  eager  eyes  the  surviving  heroes  of 
Trafalgar,  following  the  corpse  of  their  illustrious  leader, 
the  naval  officers  were  all  put  into  mourning  coaches, 
which  immediately  became  equally  uninteresting  to  the 
spectators,  whether  they  contained  a  vice-admiral  or  a 
herald;  indeed  the  heralds,  from  their  dress,  were  the 
only  conspicuous  persons.  The  sailors,  too,  of  the  '  Victory,' 
the  immediate  witnesses  of  their  Nelson's  glory,  who  had 
indignantly  opposed  the  idea  of  transferring  his  corpse  to 
a  frigate,  and  who  had  insisted  on  its  remaining  with 
them  in  the  ship,  on  whose  deck  they  had  seen  him  fall 
— these  sailors,  instead  of  being  allowed  to  surround  the 
coffin  from  which  they  had  proved  themselves  so  unwilling 
to  separate,  were  marshalled  by  themselves  in  another 
part  of  the  procession,  without  music,  without  officers, 
without  any  naval  accompaniments  whatsoever.  Although 
few  in  number,  and  thus  separated  from  everything  that 
would  have  added  consequence  to  their  appearance,  such 
was  the  impression  that  their  serious,  quiet,  decent  de- 
portment made  on  the  multitude,  that  they  were  repeat- 


1806]  DEATH   OF   MR.    PITT.  311 

edly  and  almost  continually  cheered  as  they  passed 
along.  What  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  would  the 
whole  of  this  ceremony  have  made  on  the  minds  of  the 
spectators,  had  the  naval  part  of  the  procession,  as  well  as 
the  military,  been  conducted  on  foot ;  had  the  com- 
panions of  his  glory  and  his  danger,  exposed  to  the 
regards  of  their  grateful  and  admiring  country,  immedi- 
ately surrounded  the  car  which  bore  his  remains ;  had 
the  whole  been  accompanied  by  appropriate  music — one 
band  taking  up  the  melancholy  strain  when  another 
dropped  it ;  and  had  the  passage  of  the  procession  been 
marked  by  the  solemn  tolling  of  the  different  bells.  I 
will  not  talk  of  the  disproportions  and  perfect  bad  taste 
of  the  funeral  car,  because  good  taste  in  forms  I  never 
expect  here ;  but  I  did  expect  sufficient  good  taste  in 
moral  feeling,  not  to  have  entrusted  the  conduct  of  such  a 
ceremony,  the  tribute  of  such  a  nation  to  such  a  chief, 
as  a  job  to  the  Heralds'  office  and  their  hireling  under- 
takers !  The  only  moment  in  which  the  mind  the  most 
disposed  to  enthusiasm,  could  for  a  moment  indulge 
it  (I  speak  not  of  the  ceremony  in  St.  Paul's,  which  I 
did  not  see),  was  that  in  which  the  funeral  car  passed 
Charing  Cross.  Here  nothing  could  be  seen  on  every 
side  but  pyramids  of  heads,  and  every  head  uncovered, 
from  respect  to  the  object,  on  which  every  eye  was 
entirely  bent.  One  general  feeling  pervading  a  great 
multitude  must  ever  tend  to  the  sublime. 

Thursday,  Jan.  23rd. — It  was  universally  believed 
that  Mr.  Pitt  had  died  to-day,  and  everybody  was  talking 
and  reasoning  upon  his  death  as  a  fact.  At  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening  I  stopped  at  Dr.  Baillie's  door  to  enquire  if 
he  was  returned  from  Wimbledon.  He  had  left  Mr.  Pitt 
there  between  three  and  four  still  alive,  and  Dr.  Eeynolds 
was  to  return  there  to-night.  Baillie  having  left  him, 
proved  to  me  that  he  thought  the  case  past  all  hope. 


312  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso6 

Friday,  Jan.  2±th. — Mr.  Pitt  died  this  morning  at  four 
o'clock.     This  is  certainly  a  great  event  for  the  country  in 
the  present  posture  of  affairs.    Much  curiosity  and  anxiety 
was  excited  to-day  and  yesterday  to  ascertain  the  fact — 
more,  I  think,  than  what  may  be  called  tender  concern  or 
great  regret  for  his  loss.    And  yet  I  know  not  what  politics, 
or  what  party,  can  justify  the  not  regretting  the  loss  of 
such   a   superior  intellect,  and   such    great   talents,   for 
superior  and  great  they  were,  although  on  the  important 
subjects  to  which  they  were  applied  it  was  not  always 
possible  to  approve  either  his  principles  or  his  conduct. 
Perhaps  his  greatest  errors  originated  from  his  early  and 
constant  immersion  in  public  business,  and  from  his  having 
been  always  an  actor,  never  a  spectator  of  affairs.     This, 
perhaps,  prevented  his  sufficiently  recurring  in  his  plans 
and  in  his  measures  to  those  great  first  principles  never 
to  be  lost  sight  of  by  a  really  great  statesman,  and  to  be 
deviated  from    as    little   as  possible ;    expediency   and 
necessity  will  always  make  that  little  enough. 

In  Miss  Berry's  work  on  '  England  and  France  '  will  be 
found  a  far  more  detailed  review  of  her  opinion  respect- 
ing the  character  of  Mr.  Pitt  and  of  the  influence  he 
exercised  on  the  politics  of  his  country  and  the  pur- 
suits of  his  contemporaries. 

The  following  extracts  from  Miss  Berry's  MSS.  show 
how  strongly  she  felt  the  disadvantage  of  the  light  and 
frivolous  education  she  saw  bestowed  upon  the  youth  of 
her  own  sex,  and  with  what  bitter  regret  she  witnessed 
the  mortifying  discouragement  which  then,  far  more  than 
now,  appears  to  have  been  given  to  all  intellectual  exer- 
tions in  women,  whose  leisure  and  abilities  afforded  them 
the  opportunity  and  means  of  mental  cultivation  and  of 
literary  occupation  and  distinction. 


1806]  LETTER   TO   A   FRIEND.  313 

Extract  from  a  Letter  to  a  Friend. 

London :  Dec.  1806. 

Desultory  and  heterogeneous  reading  is  the  great  evil  of  all 
young  women.  Our  education  (if  education  it  can  be  called) 
is  nearly  ended  by  the  time  that  our  minds  begin  to  open  and 
to  be  really  eager  for  information.  When  you  men  are  sent  to 
college  we  are  left  (such  of  us  as  are  not  obliged  to  gain  our 
bread,  or  to  mend  our  own  clothes)  to  positive  idleness,  without 
any  object,  end  or  aim  to  encourage  any  one  employment  of 
our  mind  more  than  another.  Our  imaginations  are  naturally 
more  lively  than  yours,  our  powers  of  steady  attention,  I  think 
less  than  yours.  What  would  you  have  us  do  ?  Entire  frivolity, 
or  any  and  every  book  that  falls  into  our  hands,  are  our  only 
resources;  and  though  nobody  is  more  aware  than  myself  that 
this  sort  of  desultory  reading  during  the  first  years  of  (mental) 
life  does  often  much  mischief,  and  is  attended  always  with  a 
great  waste  of  time,  yet  it  has  at  least  this  good  effect,  et  scio 
quod  loquor,  that  a  love  of  reading  thus  natural  and  thus  in- 
dulged is  often  a  happy  preventive  in  future  life,  against  more 
serious  follies,  more  pernicious  idleness,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
may  be  counted  upon  as  a  real  resource  in  those  days  when  the 
attractions  of  the  world  and  of  society  fade  as  much  in  our  eyes, 
as  our  attractions  fade  in  theirs. 

EXTRACTS. 

Considering  the  education  given  to  women,  and  (according  to 
the  present  system)  the  subsequent  and  almost  necessary  idle- 
ness both  of  mind  and  body,  I  am  only  astonished  that  they 
are  not  more  ignorant,  weaker,  and  more  perverse  than  they  are. 

All  English  women  think  it  necessary  to  profess  loving  the 
country,  and  to  long  to  be  in  the  country,  altho'  their  minds  are 
often  neither  sufficiently  opened,  nor  their  pursuits  sufficiently 
interesting,  to  make  such  a  taste  rational. 

A  woman  who  is  proud  of  being  what  is  generally  called  a 
woman  of  business  is  proud  of  endowments  that  would  not 
distinguish  a  banker's  clerk.  They  are  what  every  woman 


314  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isoe 


should  be  ashamed  of  not  having,  because  every  woman  ^ 
have  sufficient  leisure  to  acquire  them  ;  but  of  the  possession  of 
which  an  intelligent  mind  can  no  more  be  nattered  than  with 
the  knowledge  of  the  pence  table. 

The  wrongs  or  the  neglect  which  women  of  superior  intel- 
lect almost  universally  receive  from  men,  are  revenged  by  the 
various  evils  which  men  almost  as  universally  suffer  from  the 
weakness,  the  folly,  and  the  meanness  of  those  whom  they  com- 
monly prefer  in  the  characters  of  their  wives  and  friends. 

On  Imagination. 

0  for  the  power  of  involving  myself  in  fiction  and  throw- 
ing aside  (for  the  time  at  least)  all  the  dull  realities  of  life  ! 
0  for  the  power  of  creating  to  myself  a  society  of  fancied 
beings,  with  and  for  whom  my  soul  might  exert  all  its  energies, 
and  indulge  in  all  its  enthusiastic  affections.  0  for  the  power 
of  surrounding  myself  with  faultless  friends,  faithful  lovers,  in- 
formed minds,  and  elegant  manners  !  Rousseau  possessed  this  .• 
power,  felt  this  desire,  and  it  produced  his  Heloise.  —  To  purchase 
it  at  the  price  of  his  morbid  feelings  on  every  subject  connected 
with  social  life,  would  be  paying  too  dear  for  it.  But  to  what 
delicate  mind  would  it  not  be  a  treasure  when  separated  from 
the  few,  on  whom  it  depends  for  comfort  and  support  ? 


1807]  EEFLECTIONS.  315 


1807. 

Little  Strawberry,  April  29,  1807. 

WHY  do  I  feel  a  desire  to  register  my  feelings  while 
sitting  quite  alone  in  a  deliciously  warm  sunny  spring- 
day,  at  the  window  of  our  drawing-room,  looking  up  the 
beautiful  reach  of  the  Thames  which  it  commands,  while 
all  nature  is  bursting  into  life  around  me,  and  the  whole 
landscape  is  becoming  more  and  more  vividly  green  every 
hour  ?  I  admire  this  lovely  season  as  much  as  ever — I 
enjoy  it  perhaps  more.  But  how  different  are  the  feelings 
it  generates,  the  thoughts  it  induces,  the  ideas  it  inspires, 
from  those  which  the  same  scene,  the  same  window,  the 
same  season,  produced  ten  years  ago.  It  is  not  that  I 
regret  them  as  more  happy.  On  the  contrary,  my  mind 
at  present  enjoys  a  degree  of  calm  (the  first  ingredient  of 
happiness)  to  which  it  was  then  a  stranger.  But  it  is  a 
calm  purchased  at  the  price  of  every  animating  hope,  of 
every  desire  of  exertion,  and  it  is  secured  by  expecting 
nothing  from  the  future,  and  remembering  much  of  the 
past.  What  frustrated  hopes,  what  unavailing  exertions, 
what  fruitless  sufferings,  does  that  past  recall !  Unembel- 
lished  even  by  any  of  those  gay  thoughtless  moments 
of  youth,  which,  though  often  severely  paid  for,  yet, 
when  viewed  through  the  medium  of  distance,  become 
agreeable  remembrances  ;  their  folly  or  imprudence  duly 
expiated,  their  gaiety  and  the  energy  they  excited  re- 
main to  cheer  and  animate  the  sober  dulness  of  advanc- 
ing life.  But  to  me  these  moments  never  existed ;  to 
me  all  was  continued  and  never-ceasing  exertion.  Still 


316  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso7 

I  laboured  on,  still  every  returning  spring  found  me  with 
some  plan  of  present  exertion,  or  (still  more  difficult)  of 
present  patient  endurance,  for  the  hope  of  securing  future 
comfort,  future  independence,  future  repose.  But  no 
future  exists  to  me  now.  I  may  idle  away  whole  summer 
suns,  as  I  have  done  this,  in  reverie,  without  neglecting 
any  duty,  overlooking  any  pleasure,  or  foregoing  any 
advantage. 

JOUKNAL. 

Monday,  August  10th.  —  Went  from  Guy's  Cliff  to 
see  Warwick  Castle,  distance  a  mile  and  a  half ;  entrance 
through  a  new  low  Gothic  gate  in  the  outer  wall ;  from 
thence  to  the  castle,  the  road  winds  through  the  solid 
rock,  making  a  wall  on  both  sides,  overhung  with  trees 
and  shrubs  ;  the  inner  enclosure  of  the  castle  bursts  upon 
one,  beautifully  presenting  a  double  gateway  (the  real  old 
one)  and  two  towers.  That  called  Guy's  Tower  is,  both 
as  to  proportion,  form,  and  colour  of  stone,  one  of  the 
handsomest  I  ever  saw.  It  is  a  duodecagon,  but  the 
angles  so  obtuse  as  not  to  be  striking  till  near  obser- 
vation. The  other  tower  upon  the  bank  of  the  Avon  is 
singularly  picturesque  from  the  odd  irregularities  of  its 
construction,  being  part  of  it  angular,  part  of  it  seg- 
ments of  circles  in  scallops,  with  strange  projections  on 
the  battlements,  above  which  a  part  of  the  tower  rises 
considerably.  The  ground  about  the  walls  and  towers, 
and  the  space  between  the  outer  and  inner  court,  is  left 
rough  with  broom  and  other  wild  plants,  making  an 
exceUent  foreground  to  such  a  building.  In  the  inner 
court  all  is  smooth  turf.  The  hall  is  magnificent  in  size, 
but  the  panelling,  newly  painted  like  boxwood,  in  bad 
taste.  A  fine  suite  of  rooms,  the  whole  length  of  the 
castle  towards  the  river ;  a  number  of  very  fine  pictures, 
chiefly  portraits  by  Vandyke,  Rubens,  and  Kembrandt. 


1807]  VISIT  TO   WARWICK   CASTLE.  317 

The  furniture  extremely  massive,  and  appropriate  to  the 
place ;  many  old  cabinets  and  tables  of  pietra  dura  and 
other  precious  materials,  besides  the  greatest  quantity  of 
boule  in  all  sorts  of  commodes,  cabinets,  candelabra, 
tables,  &c.  &c.,  that  I  ever  saw  collected  together ;  the 
chimney-pieces  are  all  modern,  all  expensive  high  marble, 
in  the  worst  taste,  of  about  thirty  years  ago.  The  win- 
dows are  large  recesses,  admitting  a  vast  deal  of  light ; 
an  armoury  is  fitted  up  with  a  vast  number  of  old  and 
curious  arms  of  all  nations,  and  all  times,  very  hand- 
somely and  well  arranged.  There  is  a  broad  walk  round 
the  walls,  still  very  passable,  and  a  good  staircase  in 
Guy's  Tower.  I  am  to  visit  Caesar's  Tower  another 
day,  as  we  had  already  spent  nearly  five  hours,  poking 
into  every  creek  and  cranny  of  the  rest  of  this  noble 
castle.  The  Avon  flows  immediately  under  its  walls ;  the 
walls  connect  with  the  mill  belonging  to  the  castle,  and 
in  the  same  style  of  building  with  itself ;  this  has  a  weir 
upon  the  river,  forming  a  pretty  though  too  regular  a 
cascade.  Immediately  above  are  the  picturesque  remains 
of  an  ancient  Gothic  bridge,  the  middle  arch  entirely 
carried  away,  and  the  side  ones  remaining  overhung  with 
shrubs,  furze,  and  other  vegetation.  About  a  quarter  of 
a  mile's  distance  the  river  is  crossed  by  a  new  Grecian 
bridge  of  one  arch,  which,  though  not  ugly  in  itself,  is 
misplaced,  and  destroys  the  harmony  of  the  scene. 

I  see  no  place  in  this  country  of  which  the  scenery 
is  to  be  compared  with  that  of  Guy's  Cliff.  Guy's  Cliff 
is  so  odd,  so  romantic,  so  cheerful,  so  enjoyable !  The 
singular  appearance  of  the  various  arches,  caves,  and 
apertures  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  in  the  perpendicular  wall 
of  rock  which  forms  the  courtyard  and  faces  the  entrance, 
contrasts  so  well  with  the  open  cheerful  scene  from  the 
drawing-room.  The  flowing  Avon  winds  round  a  turfy 
peninsula  immediately  below,  while  its  course  lower 
down  is  bordered  with  alders  and  overhung  by  a  group 


318  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso? 

of  picturesque  ash-trees,  and  higher  up  the  stream  is  ar- 
rested by  a  mill,  and  forms  a  cascade ;  there  the  three 
arches  of  the  wheels  peep  out  from  under  weeping  wil- 
lows and  occidental  planes ;  one  fine  poplar  towers 
above  the  rest,  and  marks  the  farthest  projection  of  the 
stonework  into  the  river ;  and  a  foot-bridge  over  the  water 
to  another  group  of  trees,  finishes  the  landscape,  and  gives 
it  all  the  charm  of  a  beautiful  foreground.  Behind,  the 
country  is  seen  rising  into  sloping  fields,  and  tufts  of 
wood,  and  a  most  happily-placed  country  church  backed 
by  one  of  these  tufts,  forms  the  horizon  of  a  lovely 
tranquil  scene,  and  one  most  characteristically  English. 

Tuesday,  ~\&th. — I  am  going  in  future  to  write  a 
journal — the  entertainment  I  have  received  from  those 
of  my  friend  here  *  has  set  me  upon  it.  And  yet  why 
begin  a  journal  when  more,  much  more,  than  half  one's 
probable  life  is  past,  '  and  all  the  life  of  life '  certainly 
gone  for  ever!  I  have  hitherto  avoided  it,  because  I 
felt  ashamed  of  the  use,  or  rather  the  no-use,  I  made  of 
my  time — of  the  miserable  minute  duties  and  vexations 
which  at  once  occupied  and  corroded  my  mind — of  the 
manner  in  which  I  have  let  life  slip  by  me,  and  missed 
its  present  enjoyments,  by  always  aiming  at  and  acting  for 
some  indefinite  future. 

But  now  that  no  future  remains  to  me,  perhaps  I  may 
be  encouraged  to  make  the  most  of  the  present  by 
marking  its  rapid  passage,  and  setting  before  my  eyes 
the  folly  of  letting  a  day  escape  without  endeavouring,  at 
least,  to  make  the  best  I  can  of  it,  and,  above  all,  without 
making  impossible  attempts  to  mend  or  alter  anybody 
but  myself. 

Friday,  21st. — I  have  said  that  I  am  to  write  a  journal 
— why  not  then  begin  ?  I  shall  have  to  record  few  days 
spent  more  agreeably,  more  peaceably,  more  rationally 
than  during  this  last  fortnight  with  our  friends  here,  who, 

*  Mr.  Greathead. 


1807]  VISIT   TO   WARWICK.  319 

without  fuss  or  bustle,  or  interfering  with  the  use  one 
may  wish  to  make  of  one's  time,  have  every  kind  and 
thoughtful  attention  to  the  amusement  of  their  guests  ; 
without  pomp  or  pretension,  they  have  every  comfort, 
luxury,  and  elegance  for  enjoyment;  and  their  conver- 
sation, habits,  minds,  and  manners  are  free  from  affecta- 
tion, and  not  only  please  and  satisfy,  but  attach. 

Well,  then,  to  begin.  An  effort  it  must  always  be,  and, 
therefore,  the  sooner  it  is  got  over  the  better. 

Yesterday  (Thursday,  August  20th)  I  went  with  Mr. 
Greathead  to  Warwick  Castle.  I  soon  found  my  friend 
Mrs.  Hume,  the  housekeeper,  who  was  so  much  pleased 
with  this  second  visit  that  she  left  two  other  visitors  to 
accompany  me  everywhere.  First,  she  would  show  me 
the  offices — fine  arched  vaults  in  the  solid  rock  towards 
the  river.  The  ale-cellars  require  about  500/.  worth  of 
malt  to  fill  them.  .  They  are  not  quite  empty,  but  it  is  long 
since  the  lord  of  this  castle,  from  his  various  schemes 
and  extravagancies,  has  been  able  to  live  in  any  style 
becoming  it,  or  indeed  to  live  here  at  all.  After  seeing 
the  offices  to  please  Mrs.  Hume,  I  went  through  the 
dungeon  at  the  bottom,  to  the  leads  at  the  top,  of  Caesar's 
Tower,  to  please  myself. 

This  singularly  irregular  and  odd-shaped  tower  is  un- 
questionably the  oldest  part  of  the  castle  ;  it  is  that  which 
must  have  guarded  the  passage  of  the  river.  There  is 
an  excellent  stone  winding  staircase  from  the  bottom  to 
the  top,  besides  a  smaller  one,  which  goes  up  to  the 
battlements  only.  Below  the  battlements,  the  tower  con- 
tains two  rooms  and  two  closets,  with  windows  upon  each 
floor,  and  above  the  battlements  is  one  large  round  arched 
room,  with  four  windows  in  it.  The  view  from  here  is 
very  extensive.  Lord  Warwick  wishes  it  fitted  up  as  a 
morning  sitting-room  for  himself,  and  indeed,  save  the 
number  of  steps,  he  could  not  have  one  more  agreeable. 
A  few  stone  steps  lead  from  it  to  the  leaded  top  of  the 


320  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [1307 

odd  little  scalloped  tower,  which  grows  out  of  one 
side  of  the  large  tower,  and  divides  its  angular  from  its 
developed  side — for  so  it  literally  is — though  nothing  but 
a  drawing  can  give  any  idea  of  it. 

I  went  all  over  the  leads  of  the  double  gateway.  The 
two  towers  contain  eighteen  rooms.  By  this  time  Mr.  G. 
joined  me,  and  we  walked  through  a  gate  to  look  at  the 
face  towards  the  river,  which  is  beautiful,  the  lower  part 
being  all  native  rock,  overgrown  with  vegetation  of  various 
sorts.  Then  went  up  the  mount  to  what  is  called  the  keep  ; 
but  it  is,  in  fact,  nothing  but  the  outer  wall  of  the  castle, 
carried  over  a  high  artificial  mound  of  earth,  made  by 
the  scooping  out  the  ditch  with  two  small  watch-towers 
at  the  top. 

The  real  keep  of  this  castle  must  have  been  Caesar's 
Tower.  After  going  up  and  down  so  many  stairs,  we 
enjoyed  sitting  in  the  porch  of  the  castle,  and  eating  some 
excellent  fruit  sent  by  our  friend  the  housekeeper,  who 
with  much  difficulty  was  induced  to  accept  the  accustomed 
fee  at  this  place. 

After  dinner  strolled  with  Mrs.  Darner  by  the  river  side, 
where  the  whole  scene  is  deliciously  inducive  of  quiet, 
calmness,  and  repose. 

After  tea,  Mr.  Greathead,  at  my  request,  read  to  us  his 
translation  in  verse  of  Boccaccio's  '  Lisabetta  and  her 
Brothers.'  I  had  once  heard  it  before,  eleven  years  ago, 
at  their  house  in  Bryanstone  Street,  on  an  evening 
memorable  to  me,  for  it  was  that  on  which  I  had  at  last 
relieved  my  own  mind  and  scruples,  by  confiding  to  my 
second  father,  to  Lord  Orford,  that  in  a  few  months,  as 
I  then  thought,  I  was  to  leave  him  for  a  still  dearer 
friend  and  a  nearer  connection  ;  and  satisfied  with  hav- 
ing acted  up  to  the  most  scrupulous,  the  most  romantic 
ideas  of  the  duties  of  friendship,  I  was  indulging  myself 
in  all  the  rational  hopes  and  fair  prospects  which  seemed 
then  to  open  to  my  still  enthusiastic  mind.  Alas  !  alas  ! 


1807]  VISIT   TO   KENILWORTH.  321 

all  too  soon  cruelly  crushed,  and  since  levelled  with  the 
dust. 

But  whither  am  I  roaming  ?  from  Greathead's  tale  to 
my  own ! 

Friday,  2,1st. — Wrote  to  Agnes,  scribbled  a  little  in 
this  book,  read  a  little  of  the  '  Lamento  di  Cecco,'  which, 
liaving  often  heard  of,  I  had  never  seen  before.  It  is  a 
beautiful,  simple,  but  not  vulgar  pastoral,  in  the  Tuscan 
patois ;  but  after  the  first  three  or  four  stanzas,  not  very 
difficult  to  understand.  If  it  were,  there  are  notes,  which 
swell  a  poem  of  forty  stanzas  into  a  tolerable-sized  quarto 
volume !  Thank  heaven,  one  is  not  obliged  to  read  them, 
for  they  seem  to  me  the  very  model,  or  rather  the  cari- 
cature, of  those  voluminous  notes,  corrections,  first  read- 
ings, and  comparings  of  all  similar  passages,  in  all  possible 
authors,  which  encumber  without  enlightening  half  the 
best  books  one  knows. 

In  the  evening,  conversation  inexhaustible  between  the 
Greatheads  and  us. 

Saturday,  22nd. — Went  with  Mr.  Greathead  to  Kenil- 
worth.  I  was  resolved  to  go  there  again,  and  have 
another  look  at  the  castle  and  the  beautiful  village.  The 
village  is  above  a  mile  long,  and  I  went  in  search  of 
Charles's  *  mother,  whom  I  found  in  a  poor  little  cottage, 
her  three  children  just  returned  from  gleaning.  I 
have  a  good  opinion  of  her,  from  all  her  children  (no 
fewer  than  eleven)  being  able  to  read  and  write.  We 
went  to  the  castle  by  the  outside  of  the  village.  The 
approach  to  it  this  way  by  far  the  most  picturesque,  and 
the  best  for  a  general  view.  The  largest  rooms  in 
Leicester's  building  (those  which  Queen  Elizabeth  occu- 
pied), I  measured.  They  are  only  twenty-four  feet  by 
twenty-six  feet,  as  they  now  stand  from  wall  to  wall,  but 
must  have  been  pleasant  rooms  with  large  shallow  bay 

*  Probably  one  of  Miss  Berry's  servants. 
VOL.  II.  T 


322  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [ISOT 

windows.*  The  great  hall,  built  by  John  of  Ghent,  must 
have  been  a  magnificent  room,  with  two  fireplaces  yet 
remaining,  large  windows  in  a  recess,  with  a  step  up  to 
them,  and  a  seat  round  them ;  and  at  one  end  of  the 
room  a  large  bay  window  on  one  side,  and  a  smaller  one 
on  the  other.  The  panelling  of  stone  remaining  in  all 
the  recesses  of  the  windows  and  on  the  sides  of  the  fire- 
places is  of  very  neat  masonry. 

From  the  castle  we  returned,  through  the  village,  to  a 
manufactory  of  combs,f  which  is  here  carried  on  to  a 
considerable  extent,  and  the  refuse  of  bone,  horn,  &c., 
goes  to  a  sal-ammoniac  and  hartshorn  manufactory  in  the 
neighbourhood.^  Curious  operation  of  cutting  open  the 
horns  and  flattening  them,  by  holding  in  tongs  to  a  wood- 
fire,  and  then  putting  them  between  thick  iron  plates, 
which  are  heated  and  pressed  together,  with  the  pieces 
of  horn  between  them.  The  man  we  saw  at  this  business, 
which  is  very  hot  and  fatiguing,  will  earn  better  than  four 
shillings  per  day,  working  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours. 

The  horns  for  lanthorns  §  (after  being  cut  open  like 
the  others)  pressed  by  a  machine  worked  by  a  horse. 

*  There  are  differences  of  opinion  as  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  apartments ; 
some  which  now  bear  that  name  seem  more  like  the  apartments  of 
attendants.  At  the  southern  angle  of  the  eastern  side  of  the  banqueting 
hall,  the  oriel  window  with  its  little  fireplace  gives  the  appearance  of  a 
small  room,  and  this  is  by  some  called  Queen  Elizabeth's  boudoir.  This 
can  be  entered,  and  is  a  favourite  seat  for  the  visitors  to  the  castle.  The 
roof  of  the  cellarage  under  the  banqueting  hall  formed  the  foundation  for 
its  flooring ;  this  is  now  gone,  except  under  the  oriel  windows.  One  or 
two  of  the  old  timber  beams  are  all  that  remain  to  testify  of  floors  in  the 
other  apartments ;  there  are  a  few  wooden  stairs  in  an  inaccessible  part 
of  the  large  projecting  staircase,  and  over  some  of  the  doorways  the  remains 
of  lath  and  plaster  ;  but  this  is  all  the  woodwork  now  remaining,  except  in 
the  gate-house  or  stable. 

t  No  longer  there. 

\  The  comb  trade  is  daily  decreasing  and  has  almost  ceased  to  exist.'  An 
old  inhabitant  of  Kenilworth,  married,  to  one  of  the  most  wealthy  of  the 
traders,  can  remember  when  her  husband  paid  100/.  weekly  in  wages  to 
about  thirty  or  forty  workmen,  including  boys. 

§  The  horn  was  prepared  for  lanthorns,  but  sent  up  to  London  to  be 
made  up. 


1807]  VISIT   TO   KEXILWORTH.  323 

From  the  comb  manufactory  we  traversed  the  green 
scoop  of  a  valley,  round  which  a  great  part  of  this  ex- 
tensive village  is  built.  In  this  valley  is  situated  the 
church  and  the  remains  of  the  abbey,  which  consists  only 
of  a  much-ruined  gate-house  and  two  or  three  pieces  of 
rough  stone.* 

The  tower  and  great  door  of  the  parish  church  are  of 
the  very  oldest  Saxon  style,  and  from  the  wasted  appear- 
ance of  the  stone  in  comparison  of  the  other  ruins  of  the 
place,  must  be  very  much  older.  Indeed,  the  door  of 
the  church,  both  from  its  ornaments  and  from  the  soil 
being  raised  full  two-thirds  of  its  original  height,  must  be 
of  high  Saxon  antiquity. 

The  pastures  into  which  this  valley  is  divided  are  still 
called  the  Abbeys,  from  having  belonged  to  the  abbey,  and 
are  now  traversed  by  a  neat  gravelled  path,  and  adorned 
by  the  largest  and  most  picturesque  wych  elm  f  I  ever 
saw,  and  a  noble  ash  J  against  the  line  of  houses. 

Everything  about  this  village,  and  among  other  things 
the  alehouse  signs,  prove  its  antiquity.  The  '  Bear  and 
Eagged  Staff'  §  certainly  dates  from  the  days  of  Leicester. 
But  the  '  Two  Virgins '  is  of  much  greater  antiquity. 
The  tradition  of  the  place  says  that  the  house  always 
has  been  an  alehouse  ;  and  as  the  '  Two  Virgins  '  mean 
the  Virgin  Mary  and  her  mother  Elizabeth,  ||  we  must 
certainly  suppose  it  established  before  the  Keforrnation.^f 


*  There  are  still  some  remains  of  an  abbey,  a  very  beautifully  arched 
gateway,  and  two  strong  pieces  of  wall,  standing  in  the  Abbey  fields.  Part 
of  the  old  vaults  was  discovered  in  the  new  portion  added  to  the  church- 
yard, which  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  consecrated  as  new  ground  a  few  years 
since.  There  is  also  a  building  close  to  the  arched  gateway  supposed  to 
have  been  the  hospice  ;  and  the  handsome  west  door  of  the  parish  church 
which  is  evidently  an  insertion,  is  supposed  to  have  been  rescued  from  the 
abbey  ruin. 

t  Still  standing.  J  No  longer  there. 

||  St.  Ann.  §  Still  there. 

^1  It  has  been  supposed  that  this  sign  does  not  refer  to  St.  Ann,  but  that 
the  second  virgin  is  meant  to  represent  Queen  Elizabeth. 


324  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isor 

After  visiting  the  house  of  which  Mr.  Greathead  is  direct- 
ing the  alteration  for  Mr.  Lake,*  we  returned  to  Guy's 
Cliff. 

Sunday,  23rd. — I  remained  in  my  room  the  whole 
morning  reading  Mr.  Greathead's  Journals,  which  let  me 
more  into  their  every-day  life,  where  they  went,  and 
what  they  did  while  abroad,  than  a  month's  conversation 
could  do. 

Monday,  24$. — Took  leave  of  our  kind  friends  here, 
after  having  spent  nearly  three  weeks  with  them,  greatly 
to  my  own  satisfaction.  Before  breakfast,  I  had,  in  a 
quiet  solitary  walk  by  the  river  side,  taken  a  sort  of  leave 
of  the  tranquil  scene,  and  promised  myself  to  return  to  it 
whenever  I  could ;  but  this  indefinite  future  has  something 
solemn  in  it ;  and  ceasing  to  be  in  one  place,  and  rising 
again  in  another,  always  gives  me  the  idea  of  a  sort  of 
death. 

The  day  was  showery,  and  a  nervous  headache  pre- 
vented my  enjoying  the  set  of  postchaise  ideas  which 
always  take  possession  of  my  mind  whenever  my  body 
is  set  a-going  upon  wheels. 

The  inn  at  Woburn  dirty  and  forlorn-looking,  and  our 
sitting-room  damp  and  cold. 

Tuesday,  25th. — We  were  half  an  hour  from  the  inn 
at  Woburn  Abbey  through  the  park.  The  approach  very 
handsome.  At  a  sufficient  distance  is  a  great  body  of 
building,  low  and  like  a  pavilion,  with  two  wings,  con- 
sisting of  stables,  a  riding-house,  tennis-court,  &c.  &c. 
The  whole  appears  like  what  it  is,  the  complete  establish- 
ment of  a  great  lord  in  this  country,  without  any  osten- 
tatious display  of  ornament.  The  house  within  excellent ; 
two  complete  apartments  for  summer  and  winter,  both 
looking  equally  inhabitable,  though  the  family  were  not 
there.  Some  remarkably  fine  pictures.  Those  in  the 

*  This  house  was  afterwards  sold  to  Sir  Charles  Clifford,  and  subsequently 
to  William  Amherst,  Esq.,  since  dead. 


1807]  VISIT  TO  WOBURff.  325 

gallery  we  did  not  see,  as  the  room  was  painting.  Some 
very  fine  Teniers,  an  exquisite  Both,  an  admirable  picture 
(called  by  Keinbrandt,  though  not  at  all  in  his  usual  dark 
manner),  '  Joseph  interpreting  the  Baker's  Dream ;'  the 
'  Countess  of  Bedford,'  *  mother  to  the  beheaded  Lord 
Russell — charming  whole  length,  by  Vandyke. 

Magnificent  greenhouse.  A  space  in  the  middle,  in 
which  is  an  antique  marble  vase  of  monstrous  dimensions, 
supported  by  four  antique  marble  columns,  of  which  two 
are  beautiful  Cipollina. 

At  the  end  of  the  greenhouse,  a  cabinet,  elaborately 
lined  with  marble  and  gilding,  called  the  Temple,  and 
containing  Nollekens' |  bust  of  Mr.  Fox,  on  a  white  marble 
pedestal,  with  an  inscription,  surrounded  by  six  other 
busts  of  his  most  particular  friends  upon  brackets — Lord 
Howicke,  General  Fitzpatrick,  Lord  Lauderdale,  Lord 
Eobert  Spencer,  Lord  Holland,  and  Mr.  Hare. 

One  could  have  wished,  for  the  honour  of  their  public 
principles,  that  the  private  characters  of  some  of  them 
had  been  different.  An  inscription  over  the  door  says 
that  this  temple  to  friendship,  planned  and  begun  by  the 
last  Duke,  was  finished  at  his  dying  request  by  his  brother. 
A  covered  way  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length  leads  to 
a  Chinese  dairy,  much  ornamented  with  china.  It  is  in 
Holland's  showy  but  unchaste  taste.  Indeed,  in  most  of 
the  things  he  has  done  here,  I  discovered  the  model  of 
all  he  since  executed  upon  rather  a  smaller  scale  at  Mr. 
Whitbread's. 

We  were  above  two  hours  and  a  half  at  Woburn  with- 

*  Anne,  daughter  of  Robert  Carr  Earl  of  Somerset  and  Frances  Howard 
the  divorced  wife  of  the  Earl  of  Essex,  married  William  Lord  Russell, 
afterwards  fifth  Earl  and  first  Duke  of  Bedford,  1637.  She  died  1684, 
aged  sixty-four. 

t  Joseph  Nollekens,  born  1737.  A  sculptor  of  some  eminence,  he  was  much 
employed  in  the  '  restoration '  of  ancient  sculpture.  His  best  works  were 
his  portrait-busts — he  made  74  repetition  marble  busts  of  Pitt,  and  000 
plaster  casts.  His  bust  of  Fox  had  scarcely  inferior  success.  Died  1823. — 
Imperial  Dictionary  of  Universal  Biography. 


.326  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isor 

out  seeing  what  is  called  the  pleasure  ground,  which,  in 
almost  ah1  fine  places,  I  have  long  discovered  is  the  least 
pleasing  part  of  the  whole. 

We  drove  for  about  two  miles  through  the  park  to  the 
entrance  from  the  Dunstable  Eoad,  which  is  now  build- 
ing, and  from  the  scale  on  which  it  seems  planned  pro- 
mises to  be  magnificent. 

Arrived  in  North  Audley  Street.  London  does  not 
appear  to  advantage  on  returning  from  the  country  on  a 
fine  summer's  evening.  I  had  the  comfort  of  finding 
Agnes  looking  well,  and  happy  to  get  me  back. 

Saturday,  29th. — In  the  evening  read  a  good  deal  of 
the  last  Scotch  Eeview.  What  they  say  of  Mr.  Hope,* 
though  he  lays  himself  open  to  ridicule,  is  ill-natured  and 
often  in  bad  taste.  An  excellent  criticism  upon  Cobbett's 
weekly  journal,  exposing,  in  the  clearest  manner,  his 
shameful  inconsistencies,  or  rather  direct  contradiction  of 
his  own  opinions,  both  of  men  and  measures,  within  this 
last  five  years,  and  holding  up  upon  true  Whig  prin- 
ciples our  real  defects  and  real  misconduct,  without  seek- 
ing to  palliate  or  defend  either  the  one  or  the  other,  and 
only  wishing  them  to  be  considered  as  they  are,  and  not 
confounded  with  preposterous  exaggeration  in  the  minds 
of  the  people.  But  alas !  the  people  read  Cobbett,  and 
will  never  read  the  Scotch  Eeview. 

I  have  felt  uncommonly  well  for  these  last  two  days. 
The  good  effects  this  health,  which  I  so  seldom  enjoy, 
has  upon  my  temper,  my  spirits,  and  my  views,  can  only 
be  equalled  by  my  gratitude  to  Heaven  for  it. 

Sunday,  30$. — Windhamf    extremely    admires   the 

*  Household  Furniture  and  Internal  Decorations  executed  from  Designs. 
By  Thomas  Hope.  Folio. 

t  William  Windham,  of  Felbrigg,  Norfolk,  horn  1750,  one  of  the  dis- 
tinguished statesmen  and  orators  of  his  day.  In  1788  he  was  one  of  the 
managers  of  the  impeachment  of  Warren  Hastings.  He  continued  to  act 
with  the  Whig  party  till  the  division  in  their  ranks  caused  by  the  opinions 
on  the  French  Revolution,  when  he  took  part  with  Burke.  In  1794  he 


1807]  VISIT   TO   COOMBANK.  327 

Scotch  review  of  Cobbett,  with  whom  he  says  he  is  out 
of  all  patience ;  although,  by  the  bye,  Windham  is  the 
only  one  of  his  violent  favourites  that  he  has  not  as  yet 
violently  abused.  Horner  supposed  to  be  the  author  of 
the  review.  I  don't  doubt  he  is.*  Went  at  half-past 
ten  to  Mrs.  Bouverie's.  Lord  Clifden,  arrived  from  Ire- 
land the  day  before ;  Mr.  Falkner  and  one  of  his 
daughters,  Lady  Julia  Howard,  Sir  F.  Vincent,  Mrs. 
Spencer,  and  Mr.  Eogers.  Everybody  anxious  for  news 
from  Copenhagen,  and  few  liking  entirely  to  speak  out 
their  sentiments.  My  fears  I  own  are  great. 

Monday,  31st. — Began  to  clear  out  that  Augean  stable, 
our  lumber  room.  From  the  accumulated  dust  of  fifteen 
years  I  came  out  like  a  chimney-sweeper,  and  almost 
choked  with  dust. 

Tuesday,  September  1st. — Drove  with  my  father  to 
Hogmore  Lane  to  make  enquiries  after  the  Princess  Sophia, 
upon  her  mother  the  Duchess  of  Gloucester's  death.f 

Tuesday,  8th. — Mr.  William  Eobertson  called.  He  was 
at  Lisbon  during  the  earthquake  in  June  last.  He  had 
experienced  two  before  in  the  East  Indies — this  by  far 
the  most  violent.  The  old  people  at  Lisbon  who  remem- 
bered that  of  1755  all  agreed  that  this  shock  was  as 
violent ;  but  not  being  repeated,  nor  of  long  continuance, 
did  little  damage.  No  lives  lost  but  by  those  whose 
terror  made  them  jump  out  of  windows,  &c.  &c. 

Wednesday,  9th.  —  Set  off  for  Coombank.J      Lord 


joined  the  ministry  of  Pitt,  as  Secretary  of  War,  till  1801.  la  1804  he  again 
united  with  Fox,  and  took  office  with  '  all  the  talents  '  till  their  ejection  in 
1807  ;  and  during  the  remainder  of  his  career  sat  on  the  Opposition  benches. 
Died  June  1810. 

*  It  was  Lord  Jeffrey,  and  not  Mr.  Horner,  who  wrote  the  article. 

t  Maria  Walpole,  second  natural  daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Walpole  and 
of  Mary  Clement,  married  in  1759  to  the  Earl  of  Waldegrave.  Lord  Walde- 
grave  died  1763.  Lady  Waldegrave  married  in  1766  Prince  William  Henry 
Duke  of  Gloucester,  who  died  1805. 

J  Coombank,  in  Sandrish  parish,  was  anciently  possessed  by  the  Islays, 


328  MISS  BEKKT'S  JOURNAL  [isor 

Frederick  Campbell  received  me  with  his  usual  cheerful- 
ness of  manner.  It  was  a  bad  day,  and  the  house,  in 
spite  of  the  many  good  pictures  and  other  things  in  it, 
struck  me  as  more  uncomfortable  than  ever.  Dr.  Vyse, 
the  Bishop  of  Peterborough  (who  married  his  sister)  and 
Mr.  Cayley,  a  lawyer  from  London,  dined  with  us.  In 
the  evening  came  the  Bishop's  wife  and  four  other 
women ;  good  sort  of  dressed-up  country-town  ladies,  of 
whom  in  a  single  evening  one  can  make  nothing.  So  I 
sat  and  worked  and  listened  to  the  Bishop,  who,  thougli 
by  no  means  brilliant,  amused  me  with  recounting  a  cir- 
cumstance which  happened  to  him  very  soon  after  he  took 
orders,  while  reading  the  service  before  a  large  congrega- 
tion in  Hartingfordbury  Church.  The  lesson  for  the  day 
was  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Samuel 
where,  reproaching  Saul,  he  says, '  Wherefore  do  I  hear  this 
bleating  of  sheep  and  lowing  of  oxen  ?'  At  the  moment 
he  uttered  the  words  '  bleating  of  sheep,'  a  great  bell- 
wether began  baaing  just  below  the  pulpit,  to  the  irresis- 
tible diversion  of  his  audience.  Sheep  were  feeding  in 
the  churchyard,  and  one  of  them  had  strayed  unobserved 
into  the  church. 

Thursday,  10^. — Went  in  the  morning  to  Tunbridge 
to  call  upon  the  Bishop,  Mrs.  Madan,  &c.  at  Dr.  Vyse's 
parsonage,  a  thoroughly  comfortable  and  indeed  elegant 
house  of  the  kind,  and  appears  to  advantage  in  going  to 
it  from  Coombank,  which  I  think  unites  every  possible 
discomfort.  I  went  at  Coombank  with  the  housekeeper 

and  afterwards  by  the  Ash  family,  who,  about  fifty  or  sixty  years  since,  sold 
it  to  Colonel  John  Campbell,  afterwards  Duke  of  Argyle,  whose  third  son, 
Lord  Frederick  Campbell,  is  now  owner ;  his  father  having  given  him  this 
estate  during  his  own  lifetime.  The  house,  which  consisted  of  a  centre, 
with  square  projections  or  wings  at  each  angle,  was  partly  destroyed  by  an 
accidental  fire,  when  Lady  Frederick  Campbell  was  burnt  to  death.  Philipott 
says  that '  not  many  years  since,  in  digging  near  Come  Bank,  were  discovered 
many  Roman  arms  of  an  antique  shape  and  figure.' — Beauties  of  England 
and  Wales,  By  Edward  "Wedlake  Brayley,  vol.  viii.  p.  1319.  Published 
1808. 


1807]  ARRIVAL  AT  TUNBRIDGE   WELLS.  329 

into  the  bedroom  where  Lord  and  Lady  Frederick  slept 
before  the  horrible  catastrophe  of  the  fire.*  Nothing 
can  be  more  frightful  and  curious  than  the  aspect  it  pre- 
sents. Without  being  actually  burnt  in  any  one  part, 
except  about  three  or  four  feet  of  the  floor,  just  near  the 
dressing-room  door,  the  whole  is  perfectly  black  and 
scorched  and  shrivelled  up  with  the  effects  of  the  fire, 
the  turpentine  all  sweated  out  of  the  paint. 

The  fatal  dressing-room  must  have  been  on  fire  above 
four  hours,  but  the  flames  only  burst  through  the,  at  last, 
consumed  door  of  the  dressing-room  when  the  maid  at  a 
little  before  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  made  a  draught 
of  air  by  opening  the  door  of  the  bedchamber. 

The  miracle  of  this  poor  soul  Lady  Frederick  f  having 
been  thus  actually  burnt  to  ashes  in  a  house  of  which  one 
single  room  alone  was  destroyed,  is  only  made  the  more 
wonderful  by  examining  the  spot  and  hearing  the  report 
of  everybody  who  was  there,  and  can  only  be  accounted 
for,  by  her  having  fallen  into  a  fit  with  her  head  in  the 
candle,  and  thus  having  been  perfectly  insensible  before 
the  fire  attacked  her.  Both  her  sisters  having  died  in  fits 
makes  this  the  less  unlikely. 

Saturday,  ~L2th. — Eeturned  to  North  Audley  Street. 

Tuesday,  15^. — I  went  with  Mrs.  Darner  to  Wedge- 
wood,  where  I  had  not  been  for  three  or  four  years.  His 
blue  and  white  ware,  made  in  imitation  of  china,  better 
than  the  Colebrook  Dale  of  the  same  sort ;  the  patterns  in 
better  taste  and  the  white  clearer. 

Wednesday,  I&th. — Left  North  Audley  Street  for  Tun- 
bridge  Wells,  with  our  own  horses  ;  arrived  at  Tunbridge 
by  the  finest  of  moonlight  nights,  after  one  of  the  finest  of 

*  The  fire  took  place  the  25th  of  June  in  this  year. 

t  Lady  Frederick  Campbell  was  sister  to  the  late  Sir  William  Meredith, 
and  had  first  married  Eajl  Ferrars,  from  whom  she  was  divorced  for  ill 
usage,  and  who  was  afterwards  executed  at  Tyburn  for  the  murder  of  his 
steward. — Beauties  of  England  and  Wales.  By  E.  W.  Brayley,  vol.  viii.  p. 
1319. 


330  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [1807 

bright  autumn  days.  We  drove  to  our  house  under 
Mount  Zion,  and  walked  to  Lady  Donegal's.  Charles 
Moore*  there,  and  Lord  Ellenboroughf  and  his  son. 

Friday r,  18th. — I  dined  at  Lord  Ellenborough's ;  carried 
with  us  Mr.  Moore  and  Miss  Godfrey ;  J  the  party  besides, 
Lady  Donegal  and  General  and  Mrs.  Boss.§  Lord  Ellen- 
borough  quick  and  clever  in  conversation. 

Sunday,  20th. — After  dinner  strolled  on  the  common  ; 
it  is  the  charm  of  this  place  to  be  able  to  do  this  at  any 
hour  of  the  day,  without  hat  or  gloves,  and  in  any  way 
you  please,  without  observation  or  comment.  Lady 
Donegal,  Miss  Godfrey  and  C.  Moore  drank  tea  with  us. 

Monday,  (2~Lst — Drove  out  with  Miss  Godfrey  and 
Agnes  to  Bridge  Green,  and  then  walked  to  the  bank  of 
rock  just  behind  it.  It  is  a  continuation  of  the  shelf  of 
rock  which  forms  all  the  variously  denominated  rocks  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Tunbridge,  by  peeping  above  the 
soil  in  different  places.  These  are  very  picturesque ;  they 
are  a  rabbit  warren,  with  trees  dropped  in  all  the  fissures 
of  stone,  and  a  birch  wood  at  the  top  of  the  bank. 

In  the  evening  to  a  party  at  Mrs.  Jones's  :  two  card- 
tables  of  old  women  at  play,  and  a  room  full  of  girls,  with 
a  thin  sprinkling  of  boys,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  We 
carried  Lady  Donegal  and  her  sister  with  us,  and  had  C. 
Moore  and  Lord  Ellenborough  to  talk  to.  But  my  head 
was  heavy  and  oppressed,  and  I  felt,  and  often  now 
feel,  my  former  exertions  in  society  perfectly  intolerable 
to  me. 

Thursday,  24^. — In  the  evening  a  small  party  at  the 
Horsleys.  Lord  Ellenborough's  conversation  very  lively 

*  Charles  Moore,  son  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

f  John  Law,  born  1750 ;  Attorney -General,  1801 ;  Lord  Chief  Justice, 
and  created  Baron  Ellenborough,  1802.  He  married  in  1789,  Anne,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  George  P.  Towey,  R.N. ;  died  1818. 

J  Sister  to  Lady  Donegal. 

,    §  Daughter    of    Sir  Robert    Gunning,    of    Horton,  co.  Northampton  5 
married,  1795,  to  Major-General  Ross. 


1807]  CARRIAGE    ACCIDENT.  331 

and  amusing  upon  law  matters ;  curious  anecdotes  on 
Lady  Strathmore's  subject. 

Friday,  October  2nd. — Drove  out  with  Lady  Ellen- 
borough,  Lord  Ellenborough  and  Lady  Donegal.  In  re- 
turning, I  saw  a  whiskey  break  down,  a  woman  fly  out  on 
one  side,  and  a  man  dragged  from  under  the  wheels,  as  I 
thought,  on  the  other.  I  mentioned  as  quietly  as  I  could, 
not  to  frighten  poor  Lady  Ellenborough  in  the  weak 
state  in  which  she  is,  that  I  thought  a  bad  accident  had 
happened,  and  that  we  had  better  stop.  She  was  in- 
stantly for  turning  about,  which  I  was  much  against, 
believing  that  she  would  certainly  see  what  might  be  too 
shocking  to  weak  nerves.  Lady  Donegal  and  I  got  out 
of  the  barouche  and  ran  as  hard  as  we  could  to  the 
broken  carriage,  about  500  yards  behind.  The  lady, 
who  was  Mrs.  Montolieu,  had  escaped  entirely  unhurt, 
and  the  young  man,  who  was  her  son  (a  cripple  both  in 
arms  and  legs),  had  only  a  cut  lip  and  a  bleeding  nose. 
He  is  at  ah1  times  incapable  of  moving  without  two  men 
to  help  him,  which  made  me  suppose  I  had  seen  him 
dragged  a  stiffened  figure  from  under  the  carriage. 
They  were  put,  after  many  refusals  and  apologies,  into 
the  barouche  with  Lady  Ellenborough  and  Lady  Donegal, 
and  Lord  Ellenborough  and  I  walked  back  to  Tunbridge 
together.  The  day  was  very  fine  and  the  walk  very 
pleasant ;  Lord  Ellenborough  has  plenty  of  conversation, 
and,  though  his  mind  is  a  coarse  one,  his  language  and 
expressions  are  sufficiently  free  from  that  fault. 

Sunday,  kth — Expected  Prince  Staremberg  to  breakfast. 
Instead  of  him  came  a  special  messenger  despatched  from 
town  at  six  in  the  morning,  to  say  that  a  courier  had 
arrived  and  he  could  not  come.  I  could  not  regret  it, 
for  my  head  was  very  unfit  for  the  sort  of  exertion  which 
his  gaiety  requires. 

Went  with  Lady  Ellenborough  and  party  to  Harrison's 
Lake,  a  very  pretty  piece  of  water,  surrounded  by  wood 


332  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso7 

and  having  a  sort  of  low  pavilion  in  which  are  two  good 
rooms  built  on  its  edge  for  fishing.  It  was  a  place  I  had 
never  seen  or  even  heard  of  before. 

The  weather  delicious ;  a  warm  sunny  summer  day 
from  morning  till  night. 

Wednesday,  1th. — Drove  out  to  Busthall  Common  ; 
walked  across  to  Lower  Green,  a  hamlet  of  a  few  houses, 
picturesquely  situated,  where  Agnes  and  I  drew  till  rain 
came  on. 

In  the  evening  we  went  to  Lord  Ellenborough's,  where 
were  collected  almost  all  the  company  in  the  place,  and 
among  the  rest  Lord  Erskine,*  who  had  arrived  the 
night  before  at  the  rooms.  Lady  Donegal  and  I  played 
whist  with  Lord  Ellenborough  and  Lord  Erskine.  I 
don't  know  which  of  the  four  plays  worst. 

Tuesday,  13£/i. — Went  in  the  morning  to  Stoneland 
Park,-j-  the  old  seat  of  the  Dorset  family,  and  where  the 
Duchess  J  and  Lord  Whitworth  are  now  living.  We  were 
on  a  drawing  expedition  with  Lady  Donegal. 

Wednesday,  14dh. — Went  out  again  upon  a  drawing 
expedition  with  Miss  Godfrey  on  a  fine  autumn,  or  rather 
summer,  day ;  beginning  with  a  misty  morning,  it  was 
quite  hot  at  mid-day,  and  the  beauty  of  everything  seen 
in  such  weather  quite  enchanting. 

Mr.  Amsinck,  the  master  of  the  ceremonies  here,  dined 
with  us  ;  the  only  one  of  his  kind  I  ever  saw  very  like  a 
gentleman,  and  not  at  all  a  coxcomb. 

Thursday,  \bth. — Went  again  on  a  drawing  expedition 
with  Lady  Donegal.  Went  to  Langton  Green  and  looked 
at  the  cold  bath,  where  there  are  the  remains  of  hewn 

*  The  Hon.  Thomas  Erskine,  second  son  of  Henry  David  fifth  Earl  of 
Buchan,  became  Lord  High  Chancellor  in  1806,  and  created  Baron  Erskine ; 
died  1823. 

f  The  former  name  for  Knole. 

$  Arabella  Diana,  daughter  of  Sir  J.  Cope,  Bart.,  married  the  third  Duke 
of  Dorset,  who  died  1799 ;  and  afterwards  Charles  late  Earl  of  Whitworth 
(extinct),  and  died  1825. 


1807]  KETURN   TO   LONDON.  333 

stone  steps,  and  yew  hedges  of  an  old  public  garden, 
which  this  was  in  the  days  of  Charles  II.  ;  the  cold  bath 
beautifully  clear  ;  it  is  in  a  large,  half-ruined  room  ;  a  pea- 
sant's family  now  inhabiting  what  was  the  dressing-room. 

Saturday,  ~\.lth. — In  the  morning  I  walked  with  Lady 
Donegal.  Some  serious  talk  with  her.  Whenever  she 
talks  en  tete-a-tete  upon  serious  subjects,  she  shows  an 
excellent  right-thinking  mind  and  a  kindly  affectionate 
heart,  without  any  affectation  either  of  sentiment  or 
talents,  while  in  both  she  is  far  above  the  common  order 
of  women.  Had  she  lived  more  in  intellectual  society,  she 
would  herself  have  been  superior  ;  as  it  is,  she  is  more, 
she  is  amiable  and  beloved,  and  has  the  gaiety  of  mind 
which  proceeds  from  a  consciousness  of  deserving  it. 

Monday,  \§th. — Finest  autumn  day  possible.  Left 
Tunbridge  Wells.  Lady  Donegal  and  Miss  Godfrey  sat 
with  us  at  breakfast,  walked  up  the  hill  with  us,  and 
then  took  leave  with  a  kind,  hearty,  and,  I  believe,  on  all 
sides,  sincere  farewell.  Arrived  in  North  Audley  Street ; 
our  house  looking  very  clean  and  comfortable,  and  most 
spacious  after  the  nutshell  we  have  been  living  in. 

Saturday,  24:th. — I  saw  Dr.  Baillie,  which  my  now 
long  indisposition  induced  me  to  do  before  I  left  town. 
He  is  very  rational,  kind,  and  sensible — pities  my  com- 
plaints, but  is  by  no  means  sanguine  in  his  hopes  of 
removing  them. 

Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  27th.  —  Lord  and  Lady* 
Glenbervie,  Miss  Stirling,  and  Mr.  North  dined  here.  I 
began  looking  over  Madame  du  Deffand's  papers. 

Wednesday,  28th, — Went  in  the  morning  to  Eichmond.- 
Called  on  Mrs.  Dundas ;  her  daughter,  whose  foot  had 
been  cut  off  exactly  six  weeks  before,  was  sitting  cheerful 
and  happy  upon  the  sofa,  a  different  creature  both  in 

*  Catherine  Anne,  daughter  of  Frederick  second  Earl  of  Guilford  and 
eighth  Lord  North,  married,  1786,  to  Sylvester  Douglas  Lord  Glenbervie ; 
died  February,  1817. 


334  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [iso? 

appearance  and  in  spirits,  from  what  we  had  seen  her  in 
the  summer.  The  operation  has  been  performed  at  her 
own  earnest  request,  and  her  behaviour  was  so  heroic  as 
quite  to  overcome  Home,  the  surgeon  who  performed  it. 

Friday,  3Qth.  —  I  began  sorting  and  looking  over 
Madame  du  Deffand's  papers.  In  the  evening  began 
reading  the  '  Life  of  Clarendon.' 

Tuesday,  3rd  November. — I  worked  at  Madame  du 
Deffand's  papers  the  whole  morning,  without  walking  out. 
I  never  can  tear  myself  away  from  what  I  am  about. 

Saturday,  7th. — Sat  still  reading  Madame  du  Deffand. 

Sunday,  8th. — In  the  evening  Lady  Petre  and  Lady 
Glenbervie,  Mr.  North,  and  Miss  Sterling.  We  played 
chess  against  Eobert  in  a  laughing  manner.  Mr.  North, 
as  usual,  very  agreeable. 

Tuesday,  10th. — I  was  too  unweU  to  dine  down  stairs. 
Prince  Staremberg  dined  with  Mrs.  Darner  and  my  father. 
He  read  to  them,  for  the  first  time,  his  little  piece 
'  Melcom,'  and  another  little  piece,  a  monologue,  called 
'  Le  Parleur  Eternel,'  which  he  had  received  from  Paris. 

Wednesday,  11th. — At  Madame  du  DefFand's  letters,  and 
did  not  stir  out.  In  the  evening  I  read  aloud  '  Clarendon's 
Life.' 

Monday,  16th. — Alone  ah1  day.  Eead  '  Clarendon's 
Life '  aloud  in  the  evening. 

Thursday,  19th After  dinner  read  aloud  some  of 

Madame  du  Deffand's  letters. 

Saturday,  21st. — Went  into  Pope's  back-garden,  and 
saw  the  devastation  going  on  upon  his  quincunx  by  its 
now  possessor,  Baroness  Howe.*  The  anger  and  ill- 
humour  expressed  against  her  for  pulling  down  his  house 
and  destroying  his  grounds,  much  greater  than  one  would 
have  imagined. 

*  Sophia  Charlotte  Baroness  Howe,  of  Langar,  daughter  of  Admiral  Earl 
Howe,  widow  of  the  Hon.  Penn  Ashton  Curzon  (who  died  1797 ),  and  after- 
wards married,  1817,  to  Sir  J.  Wathen  Waller. 


1807]  PRINCE   STAREMBERG.  335 

Sunday.  22nd.  —  At  two  o'clock  Prince  Staremberg 
came.  He  came  immediately  into  my  room,  and  we  sent 
for  Mrs.  D.  We  had  not  seen  him  since  the  arrival  of 
the  messenger  from  France.  He  spoke  to  us  in  detail, 
and  in  perfect  confidence,  of  everything  that  had  been 
proposed  de  part  et  d'autre.  As  far  as  it  has  hitherto 
gone,  he  has  conducted  himself  as  well  as  possible,  and 
had  such  a  commission  been  sent  to  any  one  (whatever 
his  abilities)  less  well  acquainted  with  England  than 
himself,  he  would  be  already  gone,  and  all  hopes  over. 
If  our  Ministry  *  don't  embrace  with  openness  and  sin- 
cerity this  offer  of  negociation,  they  will  never  have 
another  made  them.  Pray  Heaven  they  may  be  suffi- 
ciently aware  of  the  state  of  Europe  to  be  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  this,  and  all  the  dreadful  consequences  that 
hinge  upon  it !  I  own  I  doubt  and  deprecate  the  extra- 
vagance of  their  demands,  so  much  have  our  brilliant 
naval  successes,  and  our  factitious  commercial  prosperity 
hitherto  blinded  all  middling  heads  as  to  our  real  situ- 
ation.f 

Monday,  23rd. — A  dismal,  rainy,  and  to  me  melan- 
choly day,  for  I  was  out  of  humour  with  myself.  A 
number  of  little  circumstances  lately  have  served  to  con- 
vince me  that  my  manner  is  often  tranchante,  my  voice 

*  The  Duke  of  Portland's  administration  was  at  this  time  in  power.  Mr. 
Canning  was  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs  from  March  1807  to 
October  1809.  Amongst  the  principal  members  of  the  Duke  of  Portland's 
cabinet  were  Mr.  Percival,  Lord  Eldon,  Earl  Camden,  Lord  Hawksbury, 
Lord  Castlereagh,  Lord  Mulgrave,  and  Earl  of  Westmoreland. 

t  Offers  of  mediation  on  the  part  of  Austria  had  been  made  during  this 
year ;  and  at  this  time  Prince  Staremberg  had  received  orders  to  get  the 
British  Government  to  pledge  themselves  to  a  desire  for  peace.  Early  in 
1808  he  received  instructions  to  urge  the  British  Government  to  send  two 
plenipotentiaries  immediately  to  Paris  to  arrange  the  preliminaries  of  a 
peace.  This  proposal  was,  for  various  strong  reasons,  rejected  by  Mr. 
Canning,  and  the  Prince  was  therefore  obliged  to  immediately  ask 
for  his  passports.  Prince  Paul  Esterhazy,  afterwards  for  many  yeara 
ambassador  in  England,  was  at  this  time  First  Secretary  of  Legation  in 
London. 


336  MISS  BEREY'S  JOURNAL.  [1807 

often  too  loud,  and  my  way  of  meeting  opposition  un- 
conciliating.  All  these  circumstances  are  exactly  the 
contrary  from  what  they  ought  to  be,  to  make  me  what 
I  wish,  and  what  alone  I  can  be,  at  my  time  of  life.  It 
is  odd  that  I,  who  have  been  always  thinking  of  growing 
old,  and  have  such  clear  ideas  of  what  alone  can  make  a 
woman  loved  and  amiable  after  her  youth  is  past,  what 
her  views  and  manners  should  be,  and  what  can  ensure 
her  any  degree  of  consideration — it  is  odd,  I  say,  that  I 
should  fall  into  the  very  faults  I  am  the  most  aware  of, 
and  put  myself  into  the  situation  I  have  always  depre- 
cated ;  but  it  is  not  too  late,  and  at  least  I  am  not  too 
old  to  mend. 

In  Madame  Neckar's  ridiculous  Eemains,  published  by 
her  husband,  are  some  of  the  very  best  rules  and  advice 
for  the  manners  and  conduct  of  a  woman  no  longer  young 
in  society.  I  will  read  them  again.  They  always  strike 
me  as  most  justly  conceived. 

Thursday,  2Qth. — Walked  about  the  garden  at  Little 
Strawberry  Hill.  My  greenhouse  looks  well.  Eead 
Madame  du  Defland's  letters  in  the  evening. 

Friday,  27th. — Spent  a  part  of  the  morning  at  Little 
Strawberry  Hill  in  my  greenhouse.  Eead  Madame  du 
Deffand  in  the  evening. 

Monday,  30^. — In  the  evening,  Madame  du  Defiand's 
letters. 

Tuesday,  December  1st. — Left  Strawberry  Hill,  after 
spending  five  weeks  there  very  comfortably  and  quietly. 
North  Audley  Street  for  the  first  time  felt  cold  after  the 
great  logs  and  extreme  warmth  of  Strawberry. 

Sunday,  Qth. — Prince  Esterhazy  sat  with  me  a  long 
time,  and  we  had  a  very  rational  and  interesting  con- 
versation about  Staremberg  and  his  present  situation  ; 
Esterhazy's  sentiments  always  marking  a  good  under- 
standing and  an  excellent  heart. 

Sunday,  2Qth. — Sir  Edward  Carrington,  Mr.  Turner, 


1807]  '  MESSE   DE   MIJOJIT.'  337 

and  Mr.  Churchill  called,  and  the  two  Lords  Balcarras 
and  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay. 

Thursday,  24#A. — I  was  obliged  to  keep  our  long- 
promised  engagement  to  a  messe  de  minuit  and  a  reveillon 
at  Prince  Staremberg's.  Agnes  was  unequal  to  going ;  so 
with  a  fatigued  mind,  very  ill-disposed  towards  gaiety  of 
any  sort,  I  went  between  ten  and  eleven  with  Mrs.  Darner. 
We  found  there  of  womankind  only  Madame  de  Pompies 
and  Madame  de  Lape,  two  Frenchwomen,  whose  names  I 
have  so  often  heard  from  him,  but  whom  I  never  saw  before, 
or  have  any  great  inclination  ever  to  see  again,  though 
as  Frenchwomen  there  was  no  sort  of  awkwardness  in 
our  thus  first  meeting  and  passing  an  evening  with  them 
in  a  small  society.  Soon  after  arrived  Victorine,  dressed, 
and  looking  her  very  best,  and  soon  after  her  Catalani  * 
and  her  husband,  who  filled  up  the  time  before  the  messe 
began  with  singing  in  high  spirits  anything  that  came 
into  her  head.  The  messe  was  said  in  a  room  below,  and 
we  two  mecroyantes,  Mrs.  D.  and  I,  remained  in  the 
drawing-room  with  four  of  the  men,  who  had  not  finished 
their  party  at  whist.  Afterwards  we  had  supper,  at  which 
we  all  assisted,  to  the  number  of  about  sixteen  or  seven- 
teen, and  I  was  not  at  home  till  half-past  two. 

*  Angelica  Catalani,  born  near  Rome  1783.  Her  voice  was  remarkable 
even  at  twelve  years  old.  She  made  her  de"but  on  the  stage  at  Venice  in 
her  fifteenth  year.  Her  first  appearance  in  England  was  in  1806,  and  she 
remained  here  till  1814.  Her  last  appearance  in  England  was  1824,  and  in 
1827  she  retired  altogether.  Died  at  Florence,  1849. 


VOL.  II. 


338  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 


1808. 

Saturday,  January  9th. — In  the  evening  went  to  Drury 
Lane.  '  The  Wonder.'*  Elliston  very  poor  in  Felix,  and 
Mrs.  Jordan  bringing  out  too  often  her  oyster-woman 
notes  in  Violante,  which  destroys  all  the  effect  of  her 
otherwise  captivating  voice. 

Tuesday,  \§th. — M.  de  Starlimburg  called  to  say  that 
the  messenger  he  expected  on  Thursday  next  had  arrived 
yesterday,  having  left  Paris  only  on  Saturday — that  he 
brings  him  positive  orders  to  leave  the  country  im- 
mediately ;  that  he  sets  off  to-morrow,  and  war,  intermin- 
able war,  is  the  consequence,  f 

Wednesday  20th. — Came  home  early,  expecting  M.  de 
Staremberg,  who  had  promised  to  see  me  before  he  went, 
between  five  and  six.  He  came,  and  a  very  melancholy 
few  moments  we  passed  together.  He  is  a  good,  honest, 
honourable  man,  whom  one  cannot  know  intimately 
without  being  attached  to.  I  sent  a  little  Scotch  pebble 
ring  by  him  to  dear  Madame  de  Staremberg. 

Thursday,  2&th. — Mr.  WhitbreadJ  called  on  me.  Eead 
my  paper  while  he  sat  with  me.§  Praised  it  as  extremely 
clear  and  succinct.  We  talked  over  the  subject.  Curious 

*  '  Wonder  !  A  Woman  keeps  a  Secret.'  By  Susannah  Centlivre.  Born 
1667 ;  died  1722. 

t  Vide  note  to  Nov.  22,  1807. 

J  Samuel  Whitbread,  Esq.,  son  of  a  wealthy  "brewer ;  born  1758 ;  married 
Lady  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  first  Earl  Grey,  1789 ;  came  into  Par- 
liament the  following  year ;  was  a  zealous  adherent  of  Mr.  Fox,  and  continued 
a  steady  supporter  of  the  Whig  party ;  conducted  the  impeachment  of 
Lord  Melville ;  died  by  his  own  hand,  July  1815,  during  a  fit  of  mental 
derangement. — Hose's  Bioy.  Diet, 

§  To  what  paper  Miss  Berry  refers  does  not  appear. 


1808]  '  THE   WANDERER.'  339 

details  about  the  influence  of  poor  Mr.  Fox's  illness  upon 
the  latter  part  of  the  last  negociation.* 

Went  to  the  play.  '  The  Wanderer '  (the  story  of 
the  Pretender),  under  Swedish  names.  Very  interesting 
from  situations,  but  very  poorly  written. 

After  the  play,  went  to  Lady  Donegal's,  where  came 
Colonel  Eustace,  f  Lord  Hutchirison'sJ  aide-de-camp,  who 
has  been  with  him  constantly  at  the  Prussian  and  Eussian 
head-quarters  since  he  left  England,  in  November,  1806. 
Curious  details  of  the  Eussian  army — never  able  to  col- 
lect more  than  seventy  thousand  men — opposed  by  a 
hundred  and  seventy  thousand  French.  The  Eussians 
totally  without  surgeons,  hospitals,  or  drugs.  Duke  of 
Brunswick,  received  the  wound  in  his  eyes  which  killed 
him,  in  his  coach. 

Sunday,  %\st. — Eead  through  Eoscoe's  pamphlet  and 
Spence's  §  '  England  Independent  of  Commerce.' 

Wednesday,  February  Wth. — At  past  eleven  o'clock 
went  to  Devonshire  House.  Catalani  singing  in  the  saloon, 
Sapio  accompanying.  She  had  all  her  diamonds  on,  and 
entirely  eclipsed  Lady  Harrowby,  who  was  standing  by 
her  at  the  harpsichord. 

Friday,  12^.  -—Went  to  dine  at  Mr.  Knight's, in  Soho 

*  {  In  1806  some  pacificatory  messages  were  interchanged  between  the 
French  and  English  Governments,  but  it  is  probable  that  on  neither  side 
were  they  were  very  sincere.'  Fox  died  at  Chiswick  in  September  1806. — 
Imp.  Diet,  of  Univ.  Siog. 

f  Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  Eustace,  son  of  General  Eustace,  was  on 
Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie's  staff  and  accompanied  him  to  Holland ;  he  went 
with  Lord  Hutchinson  afterwards  to  Russia,  and  followed  the  Russian  army 
during  the  whole  of  the  campaign  of  the  French  invasion  of  Russia.  He 
was  in  constant  employment  for  many  years,  and  became  secretary  to  the 
Duke  of  York  when  commander-in-chief.  Died  at  Geneva,  1844. 

J  John  Lord  Hutchinson,  brother  of  first  Earl  of  Donoughmore,  a  distin- 
guished general  officer  in  the  army,  succeeded  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  in  the 
command  of  the  army  in  Egypt,  and  created  Baron  Hutchinson  for  his 
services  in  1801 ;  he  died  unmarried  in  1825. 

§  William  Spence,  author  of  a  work  on  the  '  Causes  of  the  Distress  of  the 
West  India  Planters,'  '  Agriculture  the  Source  of  the  Wealth  of  Britain,' 
1808 j  'The  Objections  to  the  Corn  Bill  refuted.' 

z  2 


340  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 


Square.*  The  party  :  Lord  and  Lady  Oxford,f  Mr. 
telton,;!;  Mr.  C.  Moore,  Mr.  Eogers,  and  Mr.  Lawrence,^ 
the  painter,  ||  and  Mrs.  Darner.  Looked  over  drawings, 
&c.  &c.  till  near  eleven  o'clock. 

Monday,  \hth.  —  Dined  at  Mr.  Angerstein's,  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  Locke,  General  Moore,  &c.  General  Moore 
very  entertaining  in  his  account  after  dinner  of  the  Queen 
of  Naples  at  Palermo,  and  his  conversations  with  her, 
by  which  I  find  that  neither  time  nor  misfortunes  have 
altered  her  from  what  I  knew  her  twenty  years  ago. 

The  following  letter  from  Lord  Erskine  must  relate  to 
his  pamphlet,  written  in  1797,  '  On  the  Causes  and  Con- 
sequences of  the  Present  War  with  France.'  '  This  pam- 
phlet had  an  unprecedented  sale,  there  being  no  less  than 
forty-eight  editions  of  it  printed  within  a  few  months.' 
(  Watts  's  Dictionary.)  It  is  probable  that  the  recent  failure 
of  Austrian  intervention  had  produced  some  conver- 
sation between  Miss  Berry  and  Lord  Erskine,  which  gave 
rise  to  his  sending  her  a  copy  of  his  pamphlet,  with  his 
interesting  account  of  the  manner  in  which  it  was  com- 
posed. 

February  21st,  1808. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM,  —  I  send  you  the  Pamphlet  I  alluded  to 
last  night  ;  it  was  written  on  slips  of  paper  in  the  midst  of  all 
the  business  which  I  was  engaged  in  at  the  time  —  not  at  home, 
but  in  open  court  whilst  the  causes  were  trying.  When  it  was 
not  my  turn  to  examine  a  witness  or  to  speak  to  the  Jury,  then 
I  wrote  a  little  bit  ;  and  so  on  by  snatches  ;  as  there  was  not  a 
moment  to  be  lost  in  the  crisis  of  folly  which  characterised, 

*  Payne  Knight,  Esq. 

t  Edward  Harley,  fifth  Earl  of  Oxford  j  married,  1794,  Jane  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Rev.  James  Scott. 

J  Hon.  William  Henry  Lyttelton,  afterwards  third  baron  Lyttelton,  bom 
1783,  married  Lady  Sarah  Spencer  1813,  died  1837. 

§  Samuel  Rogers  the  poet,  author  of  (  Pleasures  of  Memory,'  '  Italy/  &c.  ; 
born  1763,  died  1855,  in  his  ninety-third  year. 

||  Afterwards  Sir  Thomas  Lawrence,  the  first  portrait-painter  of  his  time  ; 
born  1769,  died  1830. 


1808]  LORD  ERSKIXE'S  LETTER.  341 

almost  as  much  as  at  present,  our  unhappy  country.  You  will 
not  be  surprised,  therefore,  at  its  incorrectness.  I  had  not  a 
moment  to  amend  the  text,  much  less  to  correct  the  press  in 
the  different  editions ;  and  since  I  have  had  leisure  to  look  it 
over,  I  have  only  remarked  that  I  have  no  more  merit  in  my 
observations  as  a  politician,  than  would  belong  to  a  medical 
man  who  should  pronounce  that  a  person  under  an  unremitting 
course  of  a  slow  poison  would  come  by  it  infallibly  to  a  premature 
dissolution. 

I  have  the  Honor  to  be 

Your  faithful  Humble  Serv*, 
EESKINE. 


JOURNAL. 

Tuesday,  23rd. — Went  to  the  play.  '  Kair ;  or  Love 
in  the  Desert ' — perfect,  complete,  and  unintelligible  non- 
sense from  beginning  to  end,  with  some  pretty  painted 
scenes.  The  farce  was  Bannister  and  Mrs.  Jordan  in 
Jobson  and  Nell.*  Her  Nell  is  incomparable,  but  she 
was  not  in  high  spirits. 

Thursday,  March  3rd. — Dined  at  Mrs.  Blair's  with 
Mrs.  Fox,  Mr.  Eogers,  Mr.  Brougham,f  Mr.  Mercer,J 
Mrs.  Blair's  own  family,  &c. 

Agnes  and  I  went  to  Catalani's,  where  was  a  party  of 
thirty  or  forty ;  I  think,  except  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trevor, 
Miss  Tate,  and  ourselves,  there  was  not  another  com- 
moner in  the  room.  While  the  music  was  going  on,  a 
supper  was  preparing  below  stairs,  which  we  eat  by  the 
nose,  each  separate  dish,  and  the  whole  together,  in  the 
room  above. 

Friday,  ±th. — In  the  evening  went  with  Lady  Shaftes- 

*  'Devil  to  Pay.'  t  Afterwards  Lord  Brougham. 

J  George  Mercer,  afterwards  George  Mercer  Henderson,  Esq.  of  Fordel 
iji  Fifeshire,  a  property  which  he  inherited  from  his  aunt,  the  wife  of  Sir 
Philip  Durham  Henderson. 


342  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

bury  and  Lady  B.  Ashley,*  to  Lady  Abercorn'sf — a  great 
drag-net  assembly,  twenty  women  to  one  man. 

Saturday ',  bth. — Mr.  Grell,  Mr.  Mercer,  and  Colonel 
Murray  dined  with  us.  In  the  evening  came  Mrs.  D.  and 
Sir  H.  Englefield.  We  had  a  great  deal  of  drawing, 
talking,  and  laughing. 

Sunday,  6th. — Went  after  church  to  Mrs.  Darner's. 
Found  Lord  Dorchester^  had  died  of  an  apoplectic  fit 
that  morning  at  ten  o'clock.  Went  to  Lady  Elizabeth 
Whitbread's,  where  was  a  meeting  of  a  great  many  of 
the  party. 

Tuesday,  8th. — In  the  morning  I  had  a  long  and  in- 
teresting conversation  with  Mr.  Thornton§  about  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Methodists,  and  about  his  father  and  educa- 
tion. 

Wednesday,  $th. — I  went  in  the  evening  to  Mrs.  D. 
Eead  '  Marmion,'  just  come  out,  to  her. 

Thursday,  1(M. — Eead  some  more  of  '  Marmion.' 

Monday,  14#A. — Began  reading  the  'Odyssey'  of  Homer 
in  Pope's  translation.  Delighted  with  it. 

Friday,  ~L8th. — Breakfasted  at  nine  o'clock  with  only 
Mrs.  Benwell,  Dr.  Hind,  and  Mr.  Loveday.  Went  before 
ten,  we  three  in  our  carriage,  and  the  three  gentlemen  in 


*  Barbara,  Countess  of  Shaftesbury,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Sir  John 
Webb,  Bart.,  of  Oldstock  House,  co.  Wilts.  Lady  Barbara  Ashley, 
daughter  of  the  above  and  of  Anthony  Ashley,  fifth  Earl  of  Shaftesbury, 
married,  August  1814,  to  the  Hon.  William  F.  Spencer  Ponsonby,  third  son 
of  Frederick  third  Earl  of  Bessborough,  created  Lord  de  Mauley  in  1838  ; 
she  died  1844. 

t  John  James,  ninth  Earl  of  Abercorn,  married,  1800,  his  third  wife  Anne 
Jane,  eldest  daughter  of  Arthur  second  Earl  of  Arran  and  widow  of  Henry 
Hutton,  Esq. 

J  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  first  Lord  Dorchester,  aged  eighty-five,  a  distinguished 
general  in  the  American  war. 

§  Mr.  Henry  Thornton,  second  son  of  John  Thornton,  a  merchant,  one  of 
the  leading  characters  of  the  '  Clapham  Society ; '  for  more  than  thirty  years 
a  member  of  Parliament ;  a  voluminous  writer  on  moral,  religious,  and  po- 
litical subjects ;  a  man  of  universal  liberality  and  benevolence. — Vide  JEdin. 
Rev.,  July  1844. 


1808]  DK.  HIND   MARRIED.  343 

another,  to  St.  George's  Church.  Got  out  at  the  vestry 
door.  Here  the  ceremony  of  registering  the  marriage 
was  performed  by  the  clerk,  who  then  assisted  Mr.  Love- 
day  in  putting  on  canonicals.  We  went  immediately  into 
the  church,  where  there  was  not  another  creature  but 
ourselves  and  the  clerk.  The  ceremony  over,  we  returned 
to  North  Audley  Street,  where  a  second  breakfast,  &c. 
was  set  out  ready  for  us  in  the  back  drawing-room.  At 
Pen's  earnest  desire,  nobody  but  themselves  were  asked 
to  partake  of  it.  Soon  after  twelve  they  set  off  for  their 
own  future  habitation  at  Tendon,  in  Sussex.* 

Monday,  21st. — In  the  evening  with  Lady  Charlotte 
Campbellf  to  the  Argyll  Eooms.  Got  there  near  twelve. 
The  concert  was  just  over.  Dancing  soon  after  took 
place  in  the  long  room,  fitted  up  with  boxes  at  the  end, 
and  meant  to  be  used  as  a  theatre.  All  the  rooms  prettily 
fitted  up.  A  long  debate  in  both  Houses  made  a  great 
scarcity  of  men.  The  supper,  upon  tables  for  about  eight 
people  each,  in  a  large  low  room  below  stairs. 

Wednesday,  23rd. — In  the  evening,  a  large  party  at 
home.  Gow,  the  Scotch  fiddler,  a  second  fiddle,  and  a 
harp,  came  to  us  at  half-past  nine,  and  played  some  Scotch 
airs  to  my  father.  Afterwards,  when  more  people  came, 
I  proposed  a  reel  to  Lady  Charlotte  Campbell,  and  began 
with  her  myself,  to  set  the  others  a-going,  and  then,  in 
the  same  way,  a  country  dance  ;  but  the  English  people, 
as  usual,  were  shy,  though  there  were  four  or  five 
excellent  couples  standing  by.  Fifty  people — nineteen 
women  and  thirty-one  men — came ;  twelve  supped  in  the 
back  room,  and  six  or  eight  in  the  front  room ;  everybody 
seemed  pleased,  and  some  men  who  came  late  were  not 

*  The  bride  was  Mrs.  Benwell ;  the  bridegroom  Dr.  Hind. 

t  Charlotte  Susan  Maria,  daughter  of  John  fifth  Duke  of  Argyll ;  mar- 
ried, first,  Colonel  John  Campbell ;  secondly,  Rev.  Edward  Bury.  Lady 
Charlotte  Campbell  was  attached  to  the  household  of  the  Princess  of 
Wales,  and  is  known  to  the  literary  world  as  the  author  of  several  works  of 
fiction.  Died,  1861. 


344  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

gone  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Gow's  music  cost  me 
three  guineas. 

Saturday,  26th. — Dined  at  Mr.  Samuel  Turner's  with 
Mr.  Alexander  Baring  *  (the  author  of  the  pamphlet  on  the 
Orders  in  Council),  Mr.  Sharpe  the  M.P.  and  twelve  other 
people.  I  sat  between  Mr.  Baring  and  Mr.  Sharpe.  Mr. 
Baring  is  rather  a  heavy-looking  young  man,  with  a  hesi- 
tating manner ;  but  seems  very  clear  in  his  ideas  and  un- 
assuming in  his  manners.  Mr.  Sharpe  I  have  often  seen 
before ;  he  is  clever,  but  I  should  suspect  of  little  real 
depth  of  intellect. 

Sunday,  21th. — Went  in  the  morning  after  church  to 
Mr.  Gell'sf  house  in  Chapel  Street.  Found  there  Mr. 
Morritt,  Sir  J.  Hall,J  and  Lord  Selkirk. §  Looked  over 
some  of  his  drawings  and  plans  of  the  Parthenon.  All 
went  together  to  Lord  Elgin's  Marbles.  A  second  view 
delights  one  still  more  than  the  first,  but  the  cold  exces- 
sive. 

Thursday,  31st. — Went  in  the  morning  to  the  British 
Museum  with  Lord  Frederick  Campbeh1  and  Mrs.  D.  to 

*  Alexander  Baring,  born  1774,  second  son  of  Sir  Francis  Baring,  suc- 
ceeded his  father  as  head  of  the  great  commercial  house  in  the  city ;  created 
Baron  Ashburton,  April  10,  1835  ;  died  1848. 

t  Afterward,  Sir  William  Gell,  a  -well-known  archaeologist,  born  1777. 
He  was  sent  on  a  mission  to  the  Ionian  islands  in  the  beginning  of  the  cen- 
tury, and  knighted  on  his  return  in  1803.  His  first  work  was  the  '  Topo- 
graphy of  Troy,'  published  in  1803 ;  his  next,  '  Geography  and  Antiquities 
of  Ithaca,'  in  1807  j  and  in  1810,  '  The  Itinerary  of  Greece,  with  a  Commen- 
tary on  Pausanias  and  Strabo.'  Sir  William  Gell  accompanied  the  Princess 
of  Wales,  as  one  of  her  chamberlains,  when  she  left  England  in  1814 ;  he 
quitted  her  service  on  account  of  his  frequent  attacks  of  gout,  as  he  alleged 
when  examined  as  a  witness  on  her  behalf  in  the  House  of  Lords  in  1820, 
but  continued  to  reside  in  Italy.  His  other  works  were  the  '  Itinerary  of 
the  Morea,'  '  Pompeiana :  the  Topography,  Edifices,  and  Ornaments  of 
Pompeii ; '  in  1823,  the  '  Narrative  of  his  Journey  in  the  Morea ;'  and  lastly, 
in  1834,  '  The  Topography  of  Eome.'  He  died  at  Naples,  1836. 

J  Sir  James  Hall,  Bart.,  of  Douglas,  born  1761 ;  married  a  sister  of  the 
Earl  of  Selkirk ;  wrote  a  work  on  '  Gothic  Architecture  ; '  rendered  great 
services  to  geological  science.  Died  1832. 

§  Thomas  fifth  Earl  of  Selkirk,  born  1771,  died  1820. 


1808]  THE   TOWNLEY  MARBLES.  345 

see  the  new  wing  and  the  disposition  of  Mr.  Townley's 
Marbles,*  and  the  things  taken  by  our  army  in  Egypt.  I 
think  them,  on  the  whole,  well  placed ;  some  of  Mr. 
Townley's  are  exquisitely  beautiful,  though  much  less 
wonderful  and  imposing  than  the  battered  remains  at 
Lord  Elgin's.  The  sarcophagus  brought  from  Alexandria, 
and  covered  outside  and  inside  with  figures  and  hierogly- 
phics, called,  I  know  not  why,  the,  '  Tomb  of  Alexander,' 
by  far  the  most  beautiful  and  stupendous  piece  of  Brescia 
I  ever  saw,  with  the  most  vivid  colours  in  the  largest 
pieces,  f 

Dined  at  Sir  P.  Francis',  J  with  Lord  §  and  Lady  Keith,  || 
Miss  Elphinstone,^"  Mr.  Elliot,  Mr.  Trevor,  &c. 

In  the  evening  Miss  Tate  and  Catherine  Frances  sung 
two  or  three  songs  beautifully. 

Friday,  April  1st. — Went  to  Mr.  Knight's  and  Naldi 
Libboni,  the  Chevalier,  and  some  of  the  Cornewalls,**  sang, 
and  admirably  well.  A  much  larger  party  than  usual, 
but  it  is  impossible  to  warm  that  room,  with  its  iron  roof 
and  skylights. 

Saturday,  2nd. — Took  a  long  walk.  Met  Mr.  Windham, 
who  accompanied  me,  and  was  very  agreeable.  In  the 
evening  at  a  pleasant  party  at  Lady  Donegal's.  Anacreon 
Moore  sang  a  great  deal — his  old  things,  all  the  prettiest. 

Sunday,  3rd. — At  eleven  I  went  to  Mrs.  ViHiers's,f  f 

*  Mr.  Townley's  collection  was  bought  for  the  British  Museum  in  1805 
for  the  sum  of  28,200£ — Cunningham1  s  London. 

t  Parliament  granted  35,000/.  for  the  purchase  of  the  Elgin  Marhles. 

J  Sir  P.  Francis,  the  supposed  author  of  the  Letters  of  Junius ;  born  1740, 
died  1818. 

§  Lord  Keith.  The  Hon.  George  Keith  Elphinstone,  created  Baron  and 
Viscount  Keith  for  his  distinguished  services  as  a  naval  commander,  died 
1823. 

||  Lady  Keith,  eldest  Miss  Thrale. 

1[  Afterwards  Countess  de  Flahault ;  daughter  of  Lord  Keith. 

**  Daughters  of  Sir  George  Cornewall,  Bart.,  of  Moccas  Court,  Hereford- 
shire. 

tf  Hon.  Mrs.  Villiers,  daughter  of  Admiral  and  Lady  Mary  Forbes,  mar- 
ried to  the  Hon.  J.  C.  Villiers,  afterwards  Earl  of  Clarendon. 


346  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

where  was  an  assembly  in  the  lower  apartment — like  all 
her  parties,  a  great  many  fine  ladies,  and  all  the  fine  men. 
A  man  in  boots  and  a  round  hat,  very  drunk,  walked  in 
from  the  street  to  the  middle  of  the  first  room,  and  was 
turned  out  by  the  gentlemen,  and  pushed  out  by  the  ser- 
vants from  the  hall.  At  the  street  door  he  drew  a 
sword  from  a  stick,  and  was  poking  about  with  it,  when 
Henry  Bouverie  broke  it  short  off,  and  the  watch  carried 
the  man,  whoever  he  might  be,  to  the  watch-house. 

Thursday,  7th. — I  went  to  Lady  Caroline  Lamb's.* 
An  immense  assembly.  We  came  away  at  half-past 
twelve,  and  walked  beyond  the  Admiralty  to  the  carriage. 
Many  of  the  company  were  not  away  till  near  three,  and 
the  Prince  of  Wales  and  a  very  few  persons  supped  below 
stairs  in  Lady  Melbourne's  apartment,  and  were  not  gone 
till  past  six.  Sheridan  of  the  number,  who  was  com- 
pletely drunk. 

Saturday,  9th. — Went  to  the  play, c  The  World ; '  less 
bad  than  most  modern  comedies,  because  aiming,  at  least, 
at  character,  and  EUiston  acting  admirably  a  character 
evidently  taken  from  Belfield,  in  Miss  Burney's  '  Cecilia.' 

Monday,  llth. — Went  to  Harcourt  House.  Saw  both 
Lord  and  Lady  Harcourt.f  The  latter  quite  amusing  in  her 
attempts  at  being  easy  I  In  vain ;  she  never  can,  in  spite 
of  all  her  endeavours,  for  a  moment  drop  the  hoop  and 
lappets !  The  house  an  exact  French  hotel,  but  dirty 
and  wanting  to  be  brushed  up,  and  looking  no  more 
comfortable,  than  its  inhabitants. 

Tuesday,  12th. — Went  to  Little  Strawberry. 

Wednesday,  ZQth. — It  froze  last  night  hard,  and  some 
of  the  snow  still  lies  upon  the  ground.  At  night  finished 

*  Lady  Caroline  Lamb,  daughter  of  third  Earl  of  Bessborough ;  born 
1785,  married  to  the  Hon.  William  Lamb  1805,  died  1848.  Author  of  a 
novel  called  '  Glenarvon.' 

f  George  Simon  Harcourt,  second  Earl  and  Viscount  Harcourt ;  born 
1736,  succeeded  his  father  1777;  married,  1765,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
George  Lord  Vernon ;  died  1809. 


1508]  ASHE'S   TKAYELS.  347 

Miss  Warren's  novel  *  by  galloping  over  half  the  pages ; 
human  patience  could  not  regularly  wade  through  a  series 
of  adventures  without  ensemble,  of  violent  situations 
without  interest  or  probability,  and  of  characters  all 
equally  pious  or  equally  profligate.  The  author  is,  I  dare 
say,  an  excellent  good  creature,  but  she  had  better  do  any- 
thing than  endeavour  to  pourtray  her  fellow-creatures. 

Thursday,  21st. — Worked  at  my  French  Letters  most  of 
the  morning.  In  the  evening  began  reading  Ashe's  f 
'Travels  in  America,'  in  the  north-western  settlements, 
behind  the  United  States. 

Friday,  22nd. — The  weather  continues  cold,  stormy, 
and  rainy.  Worked  at  the  Letters.  In  the  evening 
Ashe's  Travels  again.  They  are,  I  think,  very  entertain- 
ing in  spite  of  an  abominable  style,  which  aims  at  being 
fine  writing,  without  being  grammar  and  without  being 
English.  But  the  wonderful  country  he  describes  makes 
every  account  of  it  which  one  sees  and  feels  is  written  on 
the  spot,  very  interesting. 

Saturday,  23rd. — I  began  botching  out  some  sort  of 
preface  to  the  Letters. 

Sunday,  24:th. — Worked  at  my  preface  in  the  morning. 
A  cold  wet  day.  Not  at  church.  Sir  Thomas  Liddell  J 
called.  In  the  evening,  after  dinner,  I  read  aloud  the 
sketch  of  my  preface,  and  finished  the  evening  with 
Ashe's  Travels,  which  are  very  entertaining. 

Tuesday,  26th. — I  watched  the  gardener  sow  all  the 
annuals  in  all  the  flower-borders,  which  kept  me  out  with 
my  wheelbarrow  in  the  garden  till  past  three  o'clock ; 
then  stuck  to  my  French  Letters. 

*  'Conrade,  or  the  Gamesters.'  Novel  by  Caroline  Matilda  Warren.  Pub- 
lished 1806. 

t  Thomas  Ashe,  Esq.,  travelled  in  America  in  the  year  1806  for  the  pur- 
pose of  exploring  the  rivers  of  Alleghany,  Monongahela,  Ohio,  and  the 
Mississippi,  and  ascertaining  the  produce  and  condition  of  their  banks  ;  pub- 
lished 1808.  He  was  the  author  of  many  other  works. —  Watts's  Dictionary. 

J  Afterwards  Lord  Eavensworth, 


348  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Wednesday,  27th. — Very  cold.  Worked  at  the  French 
Letters.  In  the  evening  Mrs.  D.,  and  Ashe's  Travels. 
Letters  as  usual. 

Sunday,  May  1st. — A  beautiful  warm  sunny  May  day. 
Went  to  P.  Staremberg's  to  see  poor  Cliff,  little  George's 
nurse,  who  remains  in  the  house.  I  know  few  things 
more  melancholy  than  to  visit  the  empty  house  of  inti- 
mate friends,  where  one  has  passed  many  many  days  in 
cheerful  company.  A  thousand  recollections  immediately 
rise  to  one's  memory,  from  which  everything  tiresome,  or 
dull,  or  disagreeable,  has  vanished  with  the  intermediate 
time,  and  nothing  but  what  is  charming  (and  consequently 
the  more  to  be  regretted)  remains,  But  recollections  of 
past  comforts  or  pleasures  may  certainly  be  reckoned, 
however  melancholy,  among  the  pleasures  of  this  life.  I 
never  shun  them. 

In  the  evening,  Ashe's  Travels  as  usual. 
Tuesday,  3rd. — Dined  at  Lady  Melbourne's.  Went  up 
to  the  top  of  the  house  with  Lady  Caroline  Lamb  to  see 
her  little  boy  asleep,  who  a  very  few  hours  after  was 
seized  with  fits  and  his  life  despaired  of.  He  is  too  big  of 
his  age — only  eight  months.* 

TJiursday,  5th. — Saw  Lady  Harriet  Cavendish.f  She 
brought  us  the  first  report  of  the  horrible  shipwreck  of 
poor  Lord  Eoyston  in  the  Baltic.^  From  that  instant  one 
could  think  of  nothing  but  Lady  Hardwicke  having 
arrived  in  town  late  the  night  before  to  meet  such  dread- 
ful intelligence,  and  perhaps  still  more  dreadful  doubt,  for 
some  doubt  there  was  of  the  names  of  all  the  persons 

*  George  Augustus  Frederick  Lamb,  only  son  of  the  late  Lord  Mel- 
bourne ;  born  August  1807 ;  died  1836. 

t  Daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  afterwards  Countess  Granville. 

J  Lord  Royston  was  shipwrecked  at  sea  on  the  7th  of  April  by  the 
stranding  of  the  ship  Agatha,  of  Lubeck,  in  a  storm,  not  far  from  Memel. 
Lord  Royston  would  have  been  twenty-four  years  old  had  he  lived  to  the 
7th  of  May.  He  had  been  four  years  absent  from  the  country. — Annual 
Register, 


1803]  MRS.  GEANT.  349 

that  had  perished.  I  instantly  sent  a  note  to  Lady 
Charlotte  Lindsay.  She  had  not  a  ray  of  hope.  At 
two  o'clock  I  left  town  again.  I  felt  quite  glad  to  be 
here.  Of  my  former  vivacity  and  eagerness  I  have  not  a 
tithe  part,  though  quite  enough  for  my  age  and  situation ; 
the  world,  when  one  knows  it  well,  is  a  dull  business. 
Whereas  the  dull  business  of  the  country,  particularly  at 
this  season,  has  something  quiet,  soothing,  and  at  the 
same  time  occupying,  in  it.  At  least  I  feel  it  suits  me 
more  than  ever  it  did  before. 

Friday,  6th. — Eead  my  French  Letters.  Mrs.  D.  and 
I  finished  Ashe's  Travels. 

Saturday,  1th. — I  worked  in  my  greenhouse  all  the 
morning.  Agnes  arrived  from  town.  She  had  seen 
Lady  C.  Lindsay,  and  heard  from  her  everything  that 
was  to  be  heard  of  the  poor  Hardwickes.  God  help 
them ! 

Tuesday,  "LOth. — I  began  reading  aloud  Gell's  '  Ithaca.'* 
Wednesday  ^\.\th. — In  the  evening,  Gell's  'Ithaca.' 
Saturday,  14£/i. — My  plants  moved  out  of  the  green- 
house, and  I,  as  usual,  heartily  fatigued  with  helping  to 
place  them.     Walked  in  the  evening  into  the  meadows 
by  the  river-side,  and  did  nothing  all  day  but  enjoy  the 
beauty  of  the  season. 

Sunday,  \%>th. — Another  delicious  day.  Walked  to 
church.  Called  at  Sunbury — Sir  John  Legarde's — a  re- 
markably pretty  villa,  close  upon  the  bank  of  the  river. 
Walked  round  the  shrubbery  and  garden  with  Lady 
Legarde,  and  Mrs.  Grantf  (the  writer  of '  The  Letters  from 
the  Mountains'),  who  is  at  present  their  guest.  Her 
figure  and  manners  awkward,  but  not  the  least  vulgarity 


•  Published  in  1808. 

f  Mrs.  Grant,  of  Laggan,  Inverness-shire  (her  maiden  name  was  Campbell), 
the  author  of  various  poems  and  other  works ;  '  Letters  from  the  Mountains ' 
being  the  real  correspondence  of  a  lady  between  the  years  1773  and  1803. — 
Watts 's  Dictionary. 


350  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  tisos 

in  her  manners  or  conversation.  She  had  heard  of  us 
somehow  or  other,  and  said  she  was  much  pleased  to 
make  our  acquaintance.  We  saw  Sir  John  just  before 
we  were  going  away,  in  his  wheeling-chair.  His  legs  are 
perfectly  helpless,  and  this  before  he  is  fifty  years  old ! 
He  has  a  handsome  lively  countenance.* 

Tuesday,  17th. — My  day  spent  as  usual — a  good  deal  of 
gardening  and  idling,  and  a  little  reading  of  my  French 
Letters.  Bead  in  the  '  Times '  the  confirmation  of  the 
wreck  and  positive  loss  of  Lord  Eoyston. 

Saturday,  21st. — Went  to  Eichmond.  Sat  half  an 
hour  with  Madame  de  Cambis.  She  happened  to  be  in 
good  humour,  and  I  made  her  talk  of  Madame  du 
Defland  and  old  French  times,  and  she  was  very  enter- 
taining. From  her  I  went  to  Lady  Di  Beauclerc,f 
and  carried  her  the  novel  I  promised  her.  Heard  that 
Konald  would  certainly  set  out  for  Portsmouth  that 
night.  In  the  evening  read  my  French  Letters. 

O  */ 

Sunday,  22nd. — Wrote  something  that  will  serve  either 
as  preface  or  avant-propos  to  the  Letters. 

Thursday,  26th. — Finished  Madame  du  Deffand's  vo- 
luminous correspondence  with  Lord  Orford,  having  marked 
such  letters  as  I  might  select  to  re-select  for  publication. 
From  so  many,  enough,  and  more  than  enough,  may 
certainly  be  taken  from  each  year. 

Friday,  27th. — In  the  evening  began  selecting  the  first 
year  of  the  Letters,  and  marking  passages. 

Thursday,  June  2nd. — I  began  reading  aloud  Mr.  Fox's 
historical  work,  in  the  beautiful  large-paper  copy  which 
Robert  Ferguson  has  given  me. 

Friday,  3rd. — I  continued  reading  Fox's  work.     It  is 

*  Sir  John  Legarde,  Bart.,  married,  1802,  Jane,  daughter  of  Henry 
Aston,  Esq.  Sir  John  died  two  months  after  this  visit,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother. 

t  Lady  Diana  Spencer,  daughter  of  Charles  Duke  of  Marlborough, 
married  Topham  Beauclerk,  1768. 


1808]  JOANNA  BAILLIE.  351 

very  well  to  read  it  once  out ;  but  it  suggests  so  much 
thought,  and  so  many  new  views  of  things,  that  I  shall 
read  it  over  more  than  once  to  myself  in  a  very  different 
manner  from  what  I  am  now  doing. 

Thursday,  9th. — Dined  at  Lady  Donegal's  with  Agnes. 
Philippa  (Godfrey),  Charles  Moore,  and  Anacreon  Moore 
at  dinner.  I  praised  highly  the  two  poems  ('  Corruption' 
and  *  Intolerance ')  that  I  had  been  reading  in  the  morn- 
ing, before  the  author  (little  Moore),  without  knowing  it. 
After  dinner  he  owned  the  fact,  and  was  much  pleased 
with  my  unsuspicious  praise.  Moore  sang. 

Friday,  Wth — Between  eleven  and  twelve  I  walked  to 
Grosvenor  Street  to  see  Joanna  Baillie;  then  to  the 
Hardwickes.  I  saw  them  all,  literally  all,  except  little 
Charlie,  who  is  returned  to  school :  first,  Lord  Hard- 
wicke,  who  controlled  himself,  but  soon  left  me;  then 
Catherine  *  and  Caroline,  f  With  Catherine  I  was  much 
affected,  for  I  was  very  unwell,  and  unable  to  contain  my 
feelings ;  nor  was  it  necessary  with  her.  With  Lady 
Hardwicke  1  feared  it  would  ;  but  this  was  not  the  case. 
As  soon  as  I  came  up  to  her,  she  threw  herself  into  my 
arms,  and  wept  as  heartily  as  myself.  It  is  a  great  relief 
to  me  having  seen  them  all ;  but  I  left  them  with  my 
eyes  swollen  out  of  my  head,  and  quite  unfit  to  go  any- 
where but  to  Lady  G.  Morpeth,  to  whom  I  could  say 
what  I  had  been  doing. 

Saturday,  11th — In  the  evening  I  read  '  Corruption' 
and  '  Intolerance '  aloud. 

Sunday,  12th. — Drove  with  Phil.  Cayley  to  Eayman's 
Castle ;  walked  through  the  meadows,  crossed  the  Eich- 
mond  ferry,  and  straight  up  the  hill,  which  Phil.  Cayley 
had  never  seen,  and  which  has  always  new  beauties  even 
to  those  much  accustomed  to  it.  The  door  of  the  Star 
and  Garter  (now  shut  as  an  hotel),  being  open,  we 

*  Lady  Catherine  Yorke,  afterwards  Countess  of  Caledon. 
t  Lady  Caroline  Yorke,  afterwards  Countess  of  Somers. 


352  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

walked  in,  and  a  civil  quondam  servant  of  the  house 
showed  us  the  rooms.  Dismal  history  from  the  woman 
of  the  foolish  man  who  made  these  great  additions  tojthe 
former  house  ;  —  ruined  himself  and  died  in  prison;  his 
wife,  seeing  that  all  was  going  wrong,  became  insane, 
and  died  before  him. 

.  The  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Greathead 
to  Miss  Berry  belongs  to  this  date.  This  is  the  first 
mention  of  the  infancy  of  Leamington.  Its  present  state 
has  fully  justified  Mr.  Greathead's  sanguine  views  :  — 

Guy's  Cliff,  June  13,  1808. 

.  .  .  .  I  ought  to  tell  you  that  if  you  have  a  mind  to 
make  a  fortune  by  speculations  at  Leamington  Spa,  I  am  your 
man  :  by  the  foot,  by  the  yard,  by  the  rood,  or  by  the  acre.  I 
will  let  you  land  for  garden  ground,  sell  you  stone,  or  sell  you 
clay  ;  you  shall  have  salt  water,  or  fresh  water,  anything  you 
please  ;  for  if  we  could  but  get  you  and  Agnes  into  the  under- 
taking, what  a  place  should  we  make  of  it  !  Cheltenham  should 
expire  with  envy,  and  Bath  itself  turn  pale  .... 

Tuesday,  21s£.  —  Went  to  Lady  Shaftesbury's  ball  —  a 
very  fine  ball.  The  first  quadrille  began  soon  after 
twelve. 

Lady  B.  Ashley 
and 

<D  Mr.  Delme,  g 

•B  o 

-g 


8  S 

js3  5 

Miss  Johnston 

and 
Mr.  Keppel  Craven. 

The  ladies  were  uniformly  dressed,  and  very  prettily, 
in  white  and  silver.  They  danced  admirably,  without 
mistakes  or  boggle  whatsoever.  Lady  Barbara  really 


1808]  FETE   AT  WIHBLEDOX.  353 

danced  better  than  anybody  I  ever  saw,  either  here  or 
at  Paris.     The  second  quadrille  was  — 


Lady  M.  Lowther 
and 


The  Marquis  of  Tweedale.  w 


J2        >>  I 

"a     I  I     f 

^   —  to-    §     M 

s    n-  g-    i 

g      S  <* 

Lady  C.  Lowther  ? 

and 
The  Marquis  of  Hartington. 

It  was  less  well  danced,  but  without  mistakes.  Every 
creature  was  standing  up  upon  chairs  and  benches  to 
see  these  quadrilles.  There  was  a  most  magnificent 
supper  for  400  people  below  stairs. 

Friday,  24:th.  —  Mr.  Thornton's  breakfast  at  three 
o'clock.  The  Duchess  of  Brunswick  and  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester  there  ;  dined  with  about  eighteen  in  a  sepa- 
rate tent.  The  Duchess  of  Brunswick  not  so  like  either 
to  the  King  or  late  Duke  of  Gloucester  as  I  expected. 
They  say  the  likeness  is  more  in  her  manner  of  speaking. 

Thursday,  30th. — In  the  evening  I  read  '  Barillon's 
Letters '  in  Mr.  Fox's  Appendix. 

Saturday,  July  2nd. — Between  two  and  three  o'clock 
set  out  for  Wimbledon.  A  fine  sunny  day ;  scene  beau- 
tiful ;  all  the  London  world  there.  Dined  in  a  tent. 
Lady  Eosslyn,  Mr.  Eogers,  Lord  Erskine,  Price  (father 
and  son)  *,  and  Charles  Stuart  (Blantyre),  &c.  joined  us  ; 
Mr.  Windham  came,  and  had  a  talk  with  us. 

The  Spanish  Deputies  f  were  at  the  fete,  and  Lord 
Holland,  who  speaks  Spanish,  was  doing  the  honours  to 
them.  The  Viscount  Materosa,  on  whose  subject  our 

*  Sir  Uvedale  and  Sir  Robert  Price. 

t  In  May  1808,  deputies  were  sent  from  Spain  to  England  to  solicit  suc- 
cour, and  to  arouse  the  popular  sentiment  in  favour  of  the  Spanish  cause. — 
Art.  from  Ed.  Rev.,  p.  306. 

VOL.  II.  A  A 


354  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

newspapers  are  so  fertile,  a  little  fair,  fattish  lad.  One 
of  the  others  Don  —  de  Vega,  a  good  olive-coloured  look- 
ing Spaniard,  with  large  grave  black  eyes ;  but  none  of 
them  seem  to  have  at  all  the  tournure  of  people  of  rank. 
They  are  probably  provincial  nobles,  or  what  we  should 
call  country  gentlemen,  who  perhaps  have  never  seen 
Madrid  in  their  lives ;  but  not  the  less  enemies  to  the 
French  and  the  affronting  usurpation  of  Bonaparte. 

Sunday,  17th. — Spoke  to  General  Moore  in  Bond 
Street ;  welcomed  him  from  Sweden  *,  and  sent  my 
hearty  wishes  along  with  him  to  Spain,  whither  I  believe 
he  is  going  immediately. 

Tuesday,  ~L$th. — Arrived  at  Guy's  Cliff;  received  at 
this  prettiest  of  places  with  the  hearty  welcome  that 
particularly  belongs  to  the  owners.  I  felt  only  sorry  I 
was  going  to  quit  it  so  soon.  In  the  evening,  Frederick 
North  f,  and  with  him  Frederick  Douglas,  arrived  from 
Wroxton,  in  their  way  to  a  tour  through  Ireland. 
Frederick  North  is  always  entertaining  to  the  head,  but 
less  gratifying  to  the  heart ;  and  in  this  is  much  inferior 

«/  C-? 

to  his  sisters,  who  are  often  quite  as  agreeable  as  himself. 
Wednesday,  20th.  —  Walked  before  breakfast  alone, 
entirely  round  Guy's  Cliff,  into  every  hole  and  cranny  of 
my  last  year's  haunt,  sitting  down  several  times  near  the 
river,  and  I  admired  it  more  than  ever.  Mr.  Greathead 
was  making  the  same  round  at  the  same  time  with  F. 
North ;  but  I  avoided  them,  and  indulged  in  solitude, 
particularly  grateful  just  now  to  my  mind,  which,  either 
from  the  weakness  of  my  late  illness,  or  '  glooms  congenial' 
to  it,  is  much  depressed, —  and  I  enjoyed  the  sort  of 
tranquil  quiet  melancholy  which  crept  over  me  at  Guy's 


*  A  land  force  of  10,000  men,  under  the  command  of  Sir  John  Moore, 
was  sent  in  the  month  of  May  to  assist  Sweden  against  a  combined  attack 
from  Russia,  France,  and  Denmark.  On  the  17th  of  May  this  army  reached 
Gottenburg,  but  was  not  permitted  to  land. 

+  Frederick  North,  afterwards  fifth  Earl  of  Guildford. 


1808]  COLESHILL   HALL.  355 

Cliff.  I  left  it  this  day  with  the  very  agreeable  impression 
of  a  place  to  which  no  one  unpleasant  remembrance  is 
attached,  and  where  I  wish  to  find  myself  again. 

Mr.  Greathead  went  with  us  as  far  as  Kenilworth,  to 
show  me  Sir  J.  Lake's  house,  with  which  he  has  indeed 
done  wonders,  and  much  more  than  ever  I  expected. 
Here  we  parted.  We  continued  our  route  to  Coleshill, 
seventeen  miles  from  Warwick,  to  Mr.  Palmer's.  Their 
house  is  the  vicarage  at  the  end  of  a  large  village-town. 
Inside  it  is  comfortable,  but  horrible  red-brick  and  very 
ugly  on  the  outside. 

Thursday,  21st  — Walked  in  the  morning  with  Mr. 
Palmer  and  Miss  de  Visme  to  Coleshill  Hall,  a  very 
old  house  belonging  to  Lord  Digby.  It  came  into  the 
Digby  family  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.  [?  Henry  III.], 
being  part  of  the  confiscations  of  Simon  de  Montfort,  and 
was  mentioned  then  as  an  old  house.  It  has,  according 
to  the  fashion  of  those  days,  a  large  hall  on  one  side  the 
.entrance,  with  a  buttery-hatch  and  a  gallery  over  it, 
communicating  to  the  upper  part  of  the  house.  At  one 
of  the  entrances  to  the  hall  hangs,  by  a  chain,  a  large 
whetstone,  which  has  been  there  time  immemorial,  and 
certainly  proves  great  antiquity  in  that  part  of  the  house. 
The  rest  consists  of  small  uninteresting  rooms,  and  a 
gallery  of  no  imposing  dimensions,  now  entirely  falling 
to  decay,  and  uninhabitable,  though  there  are  still  some 
remnants  of  furniture.  The  park,  from  which  all  good 
timber  has  been  cut  down,  is  let  to  a  farmer  for  grazing ; 
and  Lord  Digby,  to  whom  it  belongs,  lives  entirely  at 
Sherborne  Castle,  in  Dorsetshire. 

Friday,  22nd. — Left  Mr.  Palmer's,  and  took  the  route 
of  Lancaster  and  the  Lakes.  Stopped  at  Lichfield  to  see 
the  Cathedral.  Its  front  is  fine,  with  its  two  spires,  and 
with  the  number  of  figures  and  tabernacles  for  figures 
with  which  it  is  ornamented,  and  a  very  handsome 
window  of  tracery  over  the  great  door.  The  inside  of  a 

A  A  2 


356  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Gothic  cathedral  with  three  aisles  must  always  be  fine. 
This  is  less  beautiful  than  Lincoln,  though  about  the 
same  size,  and  has  few  old  monuments  in  it.  The  choir 
is  the  longest  I  remember  to  have  seen.  The  whole 
presents  itself  well  from  the  Close,  which  is  well  kept, 
and  has  handsome  houses  in  it. 

In  the  Cathedral  are  two  cenotaphs  exactly  alike,  and 
in  no  very  good  taste,  to  Johnson  and  to  Garrick,  with  in- 
scriptions in  gilt  letters  so  put  on  that  one  cannot  read 
them  ;  and  another,  executed  by  some  Staffordshire  lady, 
to  Lady  M.  W.  Montague,  celebrating  and  thanking  her 
for  bringing  inoculation  into  Europe. 

From  Guy's  .Cliff  to  Lichfield  is  a  very  flat  uninteresting 
country,  with  no  fine  trees  or  any  outline  of  horizon. 
After  Lichfield  it  improves,  especially  about  Wolseley 
Bridge.  Then  come  a  number  of  noblemen's  seats,  with 
woods,  which  much  ornament  the  face  of  the  country. 
The  road  winds  about  Trentham*  for  a  considerable  time. 
In  going  to  Newcastle-under-Lyme,  we  turned  a  mile  out 
of  our  road  to  see  one  of  the  great  potteries,  of  which 
this  part  of  the  country  is  the  centre.  It  was  Spode's — 
a  very  great  one — above  400  persons  employed.  We 
saw  all  the  various  operations  of  common  and  fine  porce- 
lain, and  amongst  others  that  most  curious  one  of 
stamping  on  the  blue  and  white  patterns — done  by  ap- 
plying to  them  a  print  upon  very  thin  prepared  paper, 
which,  after  it  has  left  its  impression  upon  the  cup, 
saucer,  &c.,  is  rubbed  off  entirely  with  common  water, 
without  deranging  the  impression.  The  country  from 
this  side  Wolseley  Bridge,  where  the  manufactures  com- 
mence, is  very  populous,  and  all  the  villages  and  towns 
black  with  the  coal-smoke  of  the  number  of  furnaces. 
Between  Wolseley  Bridge  and  Stone,  at  Eugeley — a  very 
pretty  neat  village  —  is  Lord  Curzon's  house,  prettily 

*  Seat  of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland. 


1808]  NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME   TO    PRESTON.  357 

surrounded  by  wood  * ;  and  further  on,  Lord  Anson'sf 
and  Lord  Talbot's  more  extensive  grounds  and  woods  J 
make  a  fine  appearance.  At  Sandon,  between  Stone  and 
Newcastle,  Lord  Harrowby  has  nearly  finished  a  column 
to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Pitt,  on  an  elevated  sort  of  terrace 
near  the  road.  Stone  is  a  dirty-looking  little  town. 
Newcastle  little  less  black.  The  whole  of  this  manu- 
facturing country,  and  particularly  about  the  potteries 
which  lay  between  and  about  Stone  and  Newcastle,  is 
prettily  waved  and  wooded,  dotted  all  over  with  houses, 
and  would  be  pretty,  were  it  not  disfigured  by  the  smoke 
of  the  furnaces,  and  the  ugly  shape  of  the  houses — little 
new  square  boxes  of  the  reddest  brick,  with  roofs  just 
fitting  them  like  the  lids  of  snuff-boxes.  They  are  build- 
ing  everywhere,  and  all  the  towns  and  villages  increasing. 

The  roads  through  Staffordshire  and  Cheshire,  which 
we  entered  at  Congleton,  and  left  at  Warrington,  are 
good,  and  this  part  of  Cheshire  is  a  rich  enclosed 
pasture  country,  well-wooded,  with  comfortable-looking 
villages  and  fine  cattle,  neatly-thatched  cottages  and 
well- cultivated  farms.  At  Warrington  one  again  enters 
the  manufacturing  regions  ;  and  Warrington  is  a  large, 
dirty,  black,  bustling,  narrow-streeted  town,  with  a 
number  of  canals  on  all  sides.  Wigan  and  Chorley  are 
of  the  same  description — full  of  furnaces,  cotton-mills, 
steam-engines,  and  foundries. 

Saturday,  23rd. — Left  Newcastle  in  the  morning.  The 
road  from  Warrington  to  Chorley  is  a  positive  chemin 
ferre,  paved  with  round  stones.  At  Wigan,  much  coarse 
muslin  and  much  of  the  Lancashire  sheeting  is  made.  At 
Chorley,  got  rid  of  red  brick ;  and  an  immense  number  of 
new  small  houses,  and  almost  villages,  built  and  building, 
all  stone.  Fine  views,  bounded  by  an  horizon  of  hills, 
and  intersected  by  canals.  Arrived  at  Preston. 

*  Hagley.  f  Shugborough.  t  Ingestre. 


358  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Sunday,  25th — Preston  is  a  handsome  town,  with  a 
wide,  well-built  street  and  a  large  square  market-place,  in 
which  are  two  curious  old  houses,  one  of  wood  and  the 
other  of  stone,  both,  I  should  think,  dating  before  Eliza- 
beth. 

Preston  is  much  blackened,  like  all  the  towns  of  this 
part  of  the  country,  with  coal  smoke. 

Garstang  is  a  small  town,  and  near  it  a  number  of 
manufactures,  smoke  and  black.  The  castle  (the  fortress 
of  John  of  Ghent's  ducal  capital)  stands  nobly  on  a  height 
at  the  end  of  the  town.  The  gateway  tower  is  very  fine  ; 
the  keep  and  two  other  square  towers  remain,  and  are 
united  together  and  with  the  gateway  tower  by  modern 
buildings  in  the  same  style  of  architecture.  It  is  the 
county  gaol,  and  admirably  clean  and  well  kept.  The  ar- 
rangements made  on  Mr.  Howard's  plan — sixteen  pri- 
soners the  greatest  number  that  can  be  in  any  one  divi- 
sion, that  division  having  a  yard  to  itself,  water  in  the 
midst  of  it,  and  each  prisoner  having  a  separate  clean 
whitewashed  cell  and  bed.  No  irons  put  on  to  any,  even 
felons,  that  are  not  refractory.  There  are  in  the  prison 
now,  including  debtors  and  those  undergoing  the  punish- 
ments of  imprisonment  for  different  lengths  of  time,  no 
fewer  than  260  persons,  of  which  above  a  hundred  are 
felons,  including  eighteen  women.  Of  this  hundred, 
forty-five  are  to  take  their  trial  at  the  ensuing  assizes 
next  month.  Of  this  amazing  number  for  a  county  gaol, 
the  neighbourhood  of  Manchester  and  Liverpool  is  given 
as  a  reason,  and,  I  fear,  a  very  sufficient  one.  The  late 
riots  among  the  manufacturers  have  likewise  increased  it, 
as  six  or  seven  of  the  principal  ringleaders  are  there  for 
trial.  Still,  the  number  is  sad  for  a  single  county.*  We 
went  all  over  the  prison  with  a  very  civil,  intelligent 


*  The  number  of  prisoners  in  Lancaster  Gaol  in  May,  1860 : — Debtors, 
79 ;  untried  criminals,  none ;  tried  criminals,  58 :  making  a  total  of  137. 


1808]  KENDAL   TO    AMBLESIDE.  359 

gaoler.  Among  the  prisoners  for  trial  next  month  is  a 
merchant  worth  above  seventy  thousand  pounds,  for  the 
supposed  poisoning  of  his  housekeeper.  He  was  (by  the 
equality  of  our  laws)  in  one  of  the  above-mentioned  yards 
with  several  other  felons,  but  remains  always  within,  and 
carefully  avoids  showing  himself. 

At  Burton,  a  clean  white  village ;  it  being  Sunday,  the 
Volunteers  of  the  place  were  drawn  up  before  the  inn,  and 
very  good-looking,  clean,  stout  lads  they  were. 

Kendal  is  a  picturesque  town  of  white  rough-cast 
houses,  scattered  about  a  green  valley,  with  a  fine  horizon 
of  hills.  Took  an  evening  walk  upon  a  sort  of  quay  to 
the  stream,  from  whence  is  seen  a  view  of  the  old  castle 
situated  upon  the  top  of  a  green  knoll.  Being  Sunday, 
the  whole  scene  was  enlivened  by  groups  of  people  walk- 
ing about. 

In  the  principal  street,  all  houses  on  the  left  side  have 
large  open  entrances,  through  which  one  sees  gardens 
climbing  up  the  sides  of  a  hill,  very  like  many  small 
towns  in  Switzerland. 

Monday,  2oth. — Left  Kendal  for  Ambleside.  The  road 
winds  through  a  variety  of  highly  cultivated  valleys,  and 
a  constantly  changing  horizon  of  distant  mountains. 
About  eight  miles  from  Kendal  we  first  came  in  sight  of 
Winder-mere,  with  its  beautifully  curved  shores,  green 
cultivated  banks,  and  wooded  islands.  It  is  pretty,  ex- 
cessively pretty,  and  if  it  had  never  been  compared  to 
the  lakes  in  Switzerland  would  be  more  so.  But  this 
comparison  has  just  a  similar  effect  to  declaring  some 
well-written  modern  play  to  be  very  like  Shakespeare — 
it  recalls  all  the  sublime  perfections  of  the  model,  and  all 
the  weakness  of  the  copy.  We  passed  through  the  vil- 
lage of  Bowness,  and  continued  our  route  five  miles  along 
the  borders  of  the  lake,  sometimes  intercepted  by  trees, 
sometimes,  as  at  Lowood,  close  to  the  shore,  and  unin- 
terruptedly beautiful.  The  inn  at  Lowood  is  a  single 


360  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

house.  The  valleys  and  rides  about  Ambleside  must  be 
delightful,  and  the  mountains  at  this  end  of  the  lake  are 
much  more  considerable  than  at  the  other. 

In  the  evening  Miss  de  Visrne  and  I  took  a  little 
scrambling  walk  up  the  glen  to  a  mill  for  turning  bobbins 
for  the  manufacturers  of  Manchester,  &c. 

Tuesday,  2Qth. — Miss  de  Visme  and  I  took  advantage 
of  a  fair  gleam  to  walk  up  to  a  very  pretty  fall  of  water, 
called  Stockhill  Force.  The  glen  is  well  wooded,  and 
the  fall  is  finely  broken  into  two  streams  by  a  large  mass 
of  rock  covered  with  trees,  and  fantastic  roots  making 
their  appearance  on  every  side. 

Just  as  we  were  stepping  into  the  coach  to  go  to 
Keswick,  a  chaise  with  Mr.  Law  and  his  friend  Mr. 
Pakenham  (Lord  Longford's  brother)  drove  up  to  the 
door.  We  invited  them  to  follow  us  as  fast  as  they 
could.  At  Eydal  went  to  see  the  waterfall  near  Sir 
Daniel  Flemming's.  There,  caught  in  such  heavy  rain  that 
we  were  forced  to  seek  shelter  in  some  cottages  near  Sir 
Daniel's  gate,  and  a  more  comfortable  scene  than  the 
inside  of  all  the  cottages  exhibited  I  have  not  seen  in  this 
part  of  the  world.  The  one  we  now  entered  was  that  of 
a  mere  labourer,  with  a  young  wife  and  three  children  ; 
it  had  every  necessary  comfort.  The  good  woman  was 
making  girdle-cakes  of  oatmeal  (here  the  bread  of  the 
poor)  over  a  fire  of  fern,  by  which  we  dried  our  clothes. 
We  were  nearly  half  an  hour  in  her  house,  occupying  her 
fire  and  in  the  way  of  her  work,  and  yet  she  and  her 
sister-in-law  would  hardly  accept  a  trifle  for  their  hospi- 
tality. Here  Mr.  Law  and  Mr.  Pakenham  came  up  with 
us.  The  rain  was  unabating,  so  we  continued  our  route 
to  Keswick,  passing  round  the  side  of  Grasmere. 

I  was  more  pleased  with  Leathe's  Water,  another  small 
lake  which  had  a  singularly  quiet  and  pastoral  character. 
Perhaps  on  a  fine  sunny  day  I  might  have  preferred 
Grasmere ;  but  the  solitary  unenlivened  character  of 


1808]  KESWICK.  361 

Leathe's  Water  associated  itself  better  to  the  grey  quiet 
wet  evening  in  which  I  saw  it. 

Before  we  came  to  Leathe's  Water,  in  a  valley  under 
Helvellyn,  down  the  side  of  which  many  torrents  were 
tumbling,  one  was  so  impetuous  that  on  arriving  at  a 
little  roadside  alehouse,  we  found  the  people  all  watching 
the  violence  of  this  gill,  over  which  a  water-spout  (no 
uncommon  thing  among  these  hills)  had  burst,  and  brought 
down  such  a  quantity  of  water,  that  the  bridge,  some 
hundred  yards  off,  was  entirely  covered  by  the  torrent 
that  was  flowing  over  as  well  as  under  it,  that  the  para- 
pets were  forced  down,  and  they  knew  not  if  the  bridge 
had  not  given  way.  Here  two  travellers  in  a  whiskey 
were  already  stopped,  and  here  Mr.  Law  and  Mr.  Paken- 
ham  again  came  up  to  us.  I  did  not  think  there  was  a 
chance  of  our  passing  for  many  hours,  if  then ;  but  the 
two  men  in  the  whiskey  having  got  over,  and  the  land- 
lord and  five  or  six  other  men  promising  to  help  us,  we 
sent  the  coach  first,  and  our  three  selves  followed  in 
Mr.  Law's  hack  chaise ;  he  and  Mr.  Pakenham  wading 
through  the  water  by  us.  We  all  arrived  safely  on  the 
other  side  the  torrent,  and  reached  Keswick  soon  after 
8  o'clock  P.M. 

Wednesday,  27th. — Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  went 
upon  the  lake  with  Mr.  Hutton,  the  guide,  in  his  boat. 
We  were  rowed  down  the  side  of  the  lake,  by  Mr.  Pock- 
lington's  house,  in  whose  ground  is  a  beautiful  cascade, 
called  the  Barrow  Fall.  The  water  falls  in  two  lengths ; 
and  as  one  can  see  it  from  below,  at  the  middle,  and  from 
above,  and  can  approach  quite  close  to  its  edge,  it  is  par- 
ticularly enjoyable. 

Mr.  Pocklington's  taste  in  architecture  is  certainly  much 
less  perfect  than  in  waterfalls.  He  has  built  no  less  than 
three  houses  on  the  borders  of  this  lake,  all,  one  uglier 
than  the  other. 

The  island  at  the  Keswick  end  of  the  lake  he  bought 


362  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

some  twenty  years  ago  for  300/.,  and  sold  within  these 
ten  or  twelve  years  for  1700/. — so  enormously  is  the 
value  of  land  raised  upon  the  borders  of  these  lakes  ;  two 
acres  of  pasture  were  sold  last  year  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  a  gentleman's  cottage  for  320/.,  and  land  in  the  same 
circumstances  is  sometimes  let  for  seven  and  eight  pounds 
an  acre. 

We  rowed  to  Lodore,  first  passing  close  to  one  of  the 
wonders  of  this  lake,  the  Floating  Islands,  which  .occasion- 
ally come  up — literally  come  up,  for  its  appearance  is 
of  two  or  three  acres  of  coarse  short  grass  which  had 
been  long  submerged.  The  surface  is  just  above  the 
water,  and  its  sides  under  water  seem  in  places  as  if  rent 
away  from  a  steep  bank  of  earth,  the  water  being  several 
fathoms  deep  immediately  at  its  edge. 

For  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  none  of  these  had 
appeared,  till  within  these  last  three  or  four  years.  The 
one  we  saw  had  come  up  only  just  a  week  before. 
They  talk  of  the  lake  being  in  great  agitation  without 
any  wind  at  the  time  of  the  production  of  these  islands, 
and  that  they  are  always  the  forerunners  of  broken  bad 
weather.  A  strong  mephitic  smell,  too,  is  said  to  issue  from 
the  ground,  if  pierced  when  it  first  makes  its  appearance. 

Lodore  is  an  occasional  torrent,  falling  between  the 
very  high  cliffs,  beautiful,  half  covered  with  wood  and 
vegetation,  and  having  deeply  worn  the  great  masses  of 
rocks  over  which  it-  falls.  We  saw  it  luckily  with  a  very 
sufficient  quantity  of  water.  It  never  falls  in  a  sheet  or 
large  body,  but  bounds  from  rock  to  rock  in  a  most 
striking  and  picturesque  manner.*  A  chaise  was  waiting 

*  Here  it  comes  sparkling, 
And  there  it  lies  darkling ; 
Now  smoking  and  frothing 
Its  tumult  and  wrath  in,     • 
Till  in  this  rapid  race 

On  which  it  is  bent, 
It  reaches  the  place 

Of  its  steep  descent. — Smdhcy'ls  Fall  of  Lodore. 


1808]  LODORE. — ULLSWATER.  363 

to  carry  us  up  Borrow  Dale,  whose  jaws,  as  the  rocky 
hills  at  its  entrance  are  called,  form  a  principal  part  of 
the  beauty  of  this  end  of  the  lake.  Borrow  Dale  is 
really  grand.  It  is  the  first  of  this  scenery  that  I  have 
thought  so.  A  very  passable  mountain  road  leads  to  the 
Bowden  Stone,  a  great  mass  of  rock,  which  at  some 
distant  period  the  frost  and  wet  have  detached  from  the 
left-hand  hill.  Here  there  is  a  cottage  or  two,  and  a  very 
fine  rugged  mountain  view  on  every  side.  Let  nobody 
who  comes  to  the  lakes  miss  Borrow  Dale,  nor  the  fine 
view  of  the  lake  with  the  background  of  Skiddaw. 

It  poured  of  rain  before  we  got  back  to  the  alehouse 
at  Lodore. 

We  continued  our  row  along  the  lake,  passing  by  the 
little  bay  which  Lord  W.  Gordon  has  beautifully  orna- 
mented, but  which  is  shut  out  from  the  rest  of  the  world. 
Nobody  is  ever  allowed  to  land,  under  all  sorts  of  penal- 
ties to  the  boatmen.  Set  off  for  Penrith. 

Thursday ,  28th. — Mr.  Law  and  Mr.  Pakenham  breakfasted 
with  us,  and  we  started  in  two  hired  chaises  for  Ullswater. 
A  boat  was  in  readiness  for  us,  and  in  about  two  hours  and 
a  half  it  carried  us  the  whole  length  of  the  lake.  Here,  at 
the  commencement  of  Patterdale,  we  found  another  little 
country  inn.  Two  carriages  were  already  before  us.  A 
neat  clean  bedroom  was  all  they  had  to  offer  us,  and  it 
was  well  we  got  possession  of  that,  for  there  arrived  after- 
wards no  less  than  four  other  carriages  full  of  people. 
Some  were  obliged  to  walk  in  the  garden,  while  others 
dined  in  the  rooms  ;  and  yet,  in  spite  of  all  this,  the  good 
woman  of  the  house  gave  us  an  excellent  dinner,  without 
hurry,  confusion,  or  ill-humour.  I  am  much  pleased  with 
what  I  have  seen  of  the  character  of  these  peasants. 
They  are  civil  and  obliging  in  their  manners,  willing  to 
enter  into  discourse,  intelligent  about  the  scenes  around 
them,  and,  I  think,  by  no  means  imposing  in  their  de- 
mands. 


364  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1808 

The  chief  beauty  of  Ullswater  is  the  abruptness  with 
which  many  of  the  fells  go  into  the  lake,  but  is  much  better 
seen  from  the  shore  than  from  the  water  itself.  We  arrived 
late  at  Penrith,  and  I  had  the  comfort  of  hearing  from 
my  sister. 

Friday,  29^. — Breakfasted  at  Carlisle,  and  arrived  at 
Moffat  between  eight  and  nine  in  the  evening. 

The  enormous  long  stage  of  twenty-one  miles  between 
Longtown  and  Lockerby  is  now  divided  into  two.  It  is 
quite  remarkable  the  great  difference  in  the  appearance, 
habits,  and  manners  of  the  people,  and  of  their  houses 
between  Carlisle  and  only  twenty  miles  from  it  in  Scot- 
land, and  this  without  any  wide  river  or  chain  of  mountains 
to  separate  them.  The  division  is  only  by  a  little  insignifi- 
cant stream  about  three  miles  from  Longtown. 

Saturday,  3(M. — Left  Moffat.  Took  the  road  to 
Lanark.  The  road  by  the  fall  of  Corra  Linn  is  three 
miles  out  of  the  straight  road  to  Lanark,  and  is  a  steep 
descent  into  the  glen,  where  runs  the  Clyde,  and  where 
stand  the  great  cotton-mills.  We  then  drove  into  very 
beautifully- wooded  grounds  along  the  high  bank  of  the 
river,  belonging  to  Lady  Eoss.  The  whole  river  pre- 
cipitates itself  into  a  rocky  sort  of  recess,  well  overgrown 
with  wood  on  all  sides,  and  is  well  worth  seeing,  though 
much  less  romantic  than  Lodore.  In  the  Glen  we  passed 
the  enormous  cotton  works,  where  above  1,500  persons 
are  employed,  and  which  of  itself,  with  the  habitations 
and  shops  necessary  for  the  workpeople,  make  a  town. 

Lanark,  about  a  mile  or  two  distant,  is  small  and  in- 
significant, with  a  large  dirty  Scotch  inn.*  The  descent 
on  leaving  Lanark,  down  to  the  bridge  over  the  Clyde, 
is  beautiful,  and  the  whole  road  for  seven  or  eight  miles 
afterwards  along  the  high  bank  of  the  river,  a  most 
charming  drive.  Lord  Grlencairn's  house  is  most  happily 

*  The  population  of  Lanark  (burgh),  is  now  calculated  at  5,305. 


1808]  HAMILTON   PALACE.  365 

placed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  and  its  little 
turrets  and  half-Gothic  appearance  admirably  suited  to 
its  situation.  It  is  a  new  house  added  to  an  old  one, 
and  I  admired  its  effect,  illumined  with  an  evening  sun, 
throwing  light  and  shade  on  all  its  little  projections,  and 
shining  on  its  gilded  vanes.  It  was  nine  o'clock  when 
we  reached  Hamilton,  and  I  felt  impatient  to  get  on  to 
Bothwell,*  where  I  knew  I  should  be  anxiously  expected, 
though  I  hardly  nattered  myself  I  should  meet  with  so 
warm  a  reception  as  that  I  received  from  every  indi- 
vidual of  the  family. 

Friday,  August  5th. — In  the  evening,  loitered  near 
the  house,  in  admiration  of  the  moon,  most  singularly 
beautiful  at  this  place,  where  it  silvers  the  whole  reach  of 
the  Clyde,  is  again  caught  through  the  trees,  and  most 
picturesquely  reflects  on  the  towers  of  the  old  castle. 

Monday,  8th. — Went  to  Hamilton  Palace  with  Lady 
Douglas  f  and  party  to  see  the  house.  Some  of  the  por- 
traits (whole  lengths)  are  admirable,  and  this  duke  and 
his  son  have  brought  there  a  considerable  collection  of 
really  good  Italian  pictures.  Amongst  those  in  the  gal- 
lery is  one  of  the  late  Duchess  of  Argyll  J  (I  believe  by 
Gavin  Hamilton),  which,  without  being  a  good  picture, 
gives  an  exquisite  idea  of  her  beauty.  The  head  greatly 
resembles  that  of  the  Venus  de  Medici,  not  in  adjustment, 
but  in  features.  It  is,  of  all  the  ill-arranged,  awkward, 
melancholy  great  houses  I  ever  saw,  the  very  worst. 

Sunday,  l±th. — Sat  till  dinner-time  in  Lady  Douglas's 
dressing-room,  reading  old  letters  to  her  grandmother, 
the  Duchess  of  Argyll,  from  her  mother,  Mrs.  Warburton, 
and  to  Lady  Greenwich§  from  the  Duchess  of  Queensbury 

*  Seat  of  Lord  Douglas. 

t  Lady  Douglas  was  sister  to  Harry  third  Duke  of  Buccleugh;  mar- 
ried, 1783. 

t  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Gunning,  Esq. 

§  Caroline,  daughter  of  John  second  Duke  of  Argyll,  created  Baronness 
of  Greenwich,  1767  ;  married,  first,  Francis,  son  of  Duke  of  Buccleugh  ; 


366  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

and  several  other  persons.  Eemarkable  form  and  ex- 
pressions of  respect  in  the  letters  of  Mrs.  Warburton  to 
her  duchess  daughter. 

Friday,  l$th. — In  the  morning,  drove  to  Douglas 
Park,  between  four  and  five  miles  from  here,  belonging 
to  a  Mrs.  Douglas,  a  young  widow.  The  place  uncom- 
monly pretty.  The  grounds  and  garden  are  a  peninsula, 
round  which  the  river  Calder,  a  mountain  stream,  runs 
over  shelves  of  rock,  and  through  high  well-wooded 
banks.  A  bowling-green,  surrounded  by  very  tall  fine 
old  limes,  which,  from  the  growth  of  trees  in  this  country, 
must  be  200  years  old.  No  remembrance  is  preserved 
of  their  being  planted.  In  the  evening  Lady  Douglas 
proposed  a  walk,  though  all  the  colours  of  the  prospect 
were  buried  in  one  twilight  tint.  When  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  cottage,  the  reason  for  our  walk  was  cleared 
up  —  its  little  pediment  was  prettily  lighted  up  with 
coloured  lamps,  among  the  fresh  green  fern-leaves  with 
which  the  front  of  the  pediment  was  tastefully  covered, 
and  joining  on  to  the  honeysuckles  which  flaunt  up  its 
pillars  and  about  its  sides.  The  inside,  too,  was  lighted 
with  pretty  little  transparent  lamps ;  upon  the  table  two 
large  flower-pots,  and  the  tea  set  out  with  the  cottage 
tea-things.  It  was  very  pretty,  and  well  suited  to  the 
place.  I  should  not  forget  that  in  the  middle  of  the  little 
pediment,  over  the  porch,  was  my  cypher,  in  a  flowery 
transparency,  which  Caroline  *  herself  had  traced. 

Colonel  Cadogan  f,  who  had  been  fishing  here  all  day, 
joined  us  at  tea.  I  regretted  for  the  young  ones  that 
there  was  not  more  company,  both  to  admire  their  taste 
and  add  to  their  gaiety  ;  but  they  seemed  not  to  want  it, 

secondly,  Charles  Townshend,  second  son  of  William  Viscount  Townshend. 
She  died  1794. 

*  Hon.  Caroline  Douglas,  daughter  of  Lord  Douglas ;  married,  1810,  to 
Captain,  afterwards  Admiral,  Sir  G.  Scott. 

t  Colonel  Cadogan,  probably  Hon.  Henry,  Lieutenant-Colonel  71st 
Foot;  born  1780;  killed  in  the" battle  of  Vittoria,  1813;  son  of  first  Earl 
of  Cadogan. 


1808]  LETTER    TO    JOAXNA   BAILLIE.  367 

and  for  myself,  I  was  as  much  pleased  and  surprised  as 
any  child  could  have  been. 

Saturday,  2Qth. — Walked  on  the  other  side  of  the 
water  to  my  little  favourite  ravine,  just  under  the  remains 
of  Blantyre  Priory ;  again  admired  its  singular  beauty, 
and  the  grandeur  of  its  parts,  though  the  whole  thing 
is  only  a  narrow  gully.  The  day  and  the  spot  were  so 
delicious  for  loitering  about,  that  I  began  cutting  my 
name  on  the  bark  of  a  tree  in  the  ravine,  while  the 
others  sat  by.  The  view  of  the  Bdthwell  ruins  from  the 
Priory  is  beautiful. 

Joanna  Baillie  was  born  at  the  Manse  at  Bothwell, 
which  explains  the  allusions  in  the  letter  addressed  to 
her  by  Miss  Berry,  dated  August  23rd,  1808  :  — 

Bothwell  Castle,  Tuesday,  23rd  August,  1808. 
DEAR  JOANNA,  —  You  and  I  have  crossed  over  and  figured 
in,  in  an  odd  way  this  last  year.  I  wish  there  had  been  any 
setting  and  footing  together,  in  the  course  of  our  jigging  about. 
—I  now  in  Scotland,  and  you  in  England  —  I  yesterday  at 
Millheugh,  and  you  perhaps  at  Little  Strawberry  Hill.  What 
a  pretty  place  Millheugh  is  !  I  walked  all  down  the  rocky  bed 
of  the  river  below  the  bridge,  and  crossed  over  the  stepping 
stones  and  back  again,  merely  for  the  pleasure  of  doing  it — 
and  then  went  all  round  the  house  at  Millheugh  and  to  the 
wooden  bridge  which  looks  at  the  little  cascade  up  the  green 
walk  by  the  side  of  the  stream.  We  saw  not  a  human  creature 
either  to  welcome  or  forbid  us  their  premises,  which  being  all 
open,  we  committed  no  trespass.  I  tried  the  echoes  with  some 
lines  of  Basil ;  but  they  were  dumb,  and  only  muttered  in 
return  for  your  name  something  about  muslin  at  Glasgow,  a 
pattern  of  a  handkerchief,  and  some  stories  of  the  poor  in  the 
village.  Your  heroic  muse  should  have  taught  them  better  in 
such  a  romantic  spot. 

I  have  been  over,  too,  at  my  own  dear  little  ravine  at 
Blantyre ;  and  if  you  go  there  again,  you  will  see  Berina  (my 
name  in  Arcadia)  cut  upon  one  of  the  largest  trees  by  my  own 
fair  hand  on  the  20th  August,  1808. 

To  J.  Baillie. 


368  MISS  BEREY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

The  following  letter  from  Miss  Berry  is  addressed  to 
her  cousin,  Robert  Ferguson,  Esq. :  — 

Letter  on  Spain. 

Bothwell  Castle,  August  26th,  1808. 

.  .  .  .  I  cannot  say  that  I  dare,  even  yet,  allow  myself 
to  be  very  sanguine  about  tbe  Spaniards.  Could  we  hope  that 
their  present  enthusiasm  would  last,  were  it  in  its  nature  to  be 
permanent,  I  should  be  certain  that  they  were  invincible. 
But  I  dread  its  wasting  away,  and  being  worn  out  before  the 
innumerable  hosts  and  the  atrocem  animum  of  Bonaparte, 
undirected  as  their  feelings  are  by  any  great  superior  intellect, 
and  unconcentrated  on  any  one  really  interesting  object.  For 
nothing  but  a  first  burst  of  sentiment  in  a  people,  moved  al- 
most to  madness  by  insult,  can  possibly  elevate  any  of  their 
own  wretched  royal  family  into  such  an  object.  If  they 
assemble  immediately  a  general  Cortes,  and  if  there  is  a  suf- 
ficient dose  of  intellect  and  a  public  spirit  in  the  nation  to 
adapt  their  old  separate  forms  of  liberty,  to  their  present 
situation,  and  to  consolidate  them  in  a  mass,  whose  momentum 
may  prescribe  any  terms  to  the  chief,  who  or  whatever  he  may 
be,  that  they  shall  set  over  them,  they  may  certainly  succeed  in 
so  neutralising  monarchical  power  as  to  make  it  a  harmless, 
if  not  a  useful,  instrument  in  the  hands  of  a  Ferdinand.  But 
all  this  seems  to  require  peace  and  leisure.  How  they  are  to 
bring  it  about  amid,  the  din  of  arms  I  know  not,  and  I  tremble 
to  think.  Yet  after  all  the  political  wonders  of  every  sort, 
which  we  have  seen  in  our  day,  nothing  will  surprise  me ;  and 
perhaps  this  violent  shake  is  necessary  to  bring  forward  those 
thinking  heads,  as  well  as  active  arms,  that,  nursed  in  the 
shade  of  obscurity,  have  been  preparing  themselves  for  situa- 
tions to  which  they  will  be  found  equal. 

To  Robert  Ferguson,  Esq. 

Saturday,  September  3rd. — In  the  evening  Mr.  Morritt* 

read  to  us  one  of  Massinger's  plays  ('  The  Duke  of  Milan '). 

Monday,   bth.  —  A  letter   from  Mrs.  D.  told   me   of 

*  John  B.  S.  Morritt,  Esq.,  owner  of  Rokeby,  and  the  friend  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott. 


1808]  VISIT  TO    HAMILTON.  369 

the  victory  gained  by  our  troops  at  Lisbon  over  the 
French,  adding  to  it  some  melancholy  recollections 
which  such  news  was  sure  to  recall  to  her  mind  as  well 
as  mine.  I  was  occupied  with  it  all  the  day,  but  per- 
haps such  recollections,  when  time  has  softened  the 
bitterness,  ought  to  be  counted  rather  amongst  our 
pleasures  than  our  sorrows. 

We  drove  with  Lord  Webb  Seymour  *  to  Douglas 
Park  to  see  the  bridge,  said  to  be  Eoman,  which  crosses 
a  small  river  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden.  It  is  a  single 
arch,  and  much  too  narrow  for  any  sort  of  carriage. 
Mr.  Morritt  thought  that  it  was  really  a  Eoman  work ; 
I  would  rather  bet  that  it  was  not.  In  the  evening  Mr. 
Morritt  continued  reading  the  '  Duke  of  Milan.'  He 
reads  very  well,  and  Massinger  is  not  easy  to  read. 

Tuesday,  6th. — We  went,  the  same  party  as  yesterday, 
to  Hamilton,  to  see  the  pictures.  Lord  Archibald  had 
arrived  the  day  before,  and  wished  to  see  us  before  our 
departure.  In  the  evening  Morritt  began  reading  another 
of  Massinger's  plays,  'The  Fatal  Dowry,'  from  which 
Eowe  has  taken  the  story  of  '  The  Fair  Penitent.'  The 
characters  of  the  father  and  the  husband  in  '  The  Fatal 
Dowry '  are  infinitely  more  interesting  than  in  'The 
Fair  Penitent ; '  but  the  events  and  the  catastrophe  are 
badly  drawn,  and  the  wife  detestable. 

Wednesday,  1th. — In  the  evening  there  was  dancing 
and  music,  and  they  had  all  sorts  of  ridiculous  dances. 
They  played  at  false  acting,  Morritt  reciting  Antony's 
oration  upon  Caesar's  body,  and  I  making  the  gestures ; 
all  which  made  us  laugh  not  a  little.  Then  they  played 
all  sorts  of  other  ridiculous  tricks,  and  in  all  this  Lord 
Webb  is  as  eager,  as  amusing,  and  as  entirely  occupied  as 


*  Lord  "Webb  Seymour,  son  of  the  tenth  Duke  of  Somerset ;  born  in 
1777 ;  died,  unmarried,  in  1819;  held  in  high  estimation  and  regard  by  the 
literary  and  political  society  of  that  day. 

VOL.  II.  B  B 


370  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

he  would  be  in  the  deepest  discussion.  He  dances,  he 
performs  antics,  and  plays  the  fool  with  great  vivacity, 
and  at  the  same  time  with  imperturbable  gravity. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Darner. 

Both-well  Castle,  September,  1808. 

.  .  .  Lord  Webb  Seymour  staid  with  us  till  Friday  last. 
He  is  a  charming  creature,  from  the  perfect  and  elegant  sim- 
plicity of  his  manners  and  the  liveliness  and  activity  of  his 
mind  upon  all  subjects ;  for  he  dances,  and  plays  conjuring 
tricks,  and  plays  the  fool  with  the  same  interest  and  eagerness 
that  he  has  in  science  and  philosophy ;  only  if  he  would  not 
so  doat  upon  disquisition !  upon  mental  dissections,  and  above 
all,  upon  accounting  for  everything  which  it  is  only  necessary 
to  feel,  and  feel  he  does,  on  all  the  great  subjects  of  politics, 
taste,  &c.  exactly  as  he  ought. 

Saturday,  10th. — Lord  and  Lady  Eosslyn*  arrived  at 
four  o'clock,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Brougham  and  two 
brothers  of  Lord  Blantyre — Charles,  the  advocate,  and 
William,  who  is  in  the  service — and  the  aide-de-camp, 
Captain  Morland.  Lord  Eosslyn  gave  me  a  letter  to  read 
from  Captain  Adam  to  his  father,  praising  the  conduct  of 
Eonald  at  Vimeira  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner.  I 
went  away  to  read  it,  which  I  did  not  do  without  tears. 

Sunday,  11th. — I  wrote  to  my  father  with  the  account 
of  Eonald. 

Wednesday,  l^th. — Had  a  long  conversation  with 
Playfair.  He  seems  to  take  a  lively  interest  in  all  that 
relates  to  us. 

Friday,  16th. — A  walk  with  Lady  Douglas  and  Play- 
fair.  He  examined  and  brought  home  some  pieces  of 
stone,  from  the  environs  of  the  cotton  mill,  upon 
which  he  made  experiments  in  the  evening  with 

*  Sir  James  St.  Clair  Erskine,  second  Earl  of  Rosslyn,  a  general  officer  in 
the  army,  succeeded  his  uncle  in  1805 ;  married  in  1790  to  Henrietta 
Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Edward  Bouverie. 


1808]  WALTER   SCOTT.  371 

Lord  Douglas.  It  appears  to  me  that  Playfair  has 
succeeded  very  well  here,  both  with  the  lady  and  with 
the  lord  of  the  mansion. 

Monday,  \§th. — There  was  a  servants'  ball  in  the  even- 
ing, when  everyone  danced  except  myself  and  Caroline, 
who  played  upon  the  tambourine  or  the  triangle  all  the 
evening.  The  ball  lasted  till  midnight.  The  news  of 
the  Convention*  at  Lisbon  has  arrived. 

Thursday,  22nd. — I  read  to  Lady  Douglas  my  sketch 
of  a  preface  for  the  Letters,  .with  which  she  seemed  well 
pleased.  Finished  reading  '  The  Tale  of  the  Times,'  a 
novel  which,  like  most  other  novels,  begins  better  than  it 
finishes.  In  the  evening,  Caroline,  Fanny,f  Miss  Eobert- 
son,  Mdlle.  de  Lally,  &c.  &c.  and  I  went  to  the  farm, 
where  in  the  granary  was  a  fete,  that  they  call  in  this 
country  a  '  keam,'  in  England  a  '  harvest-home  dance.'  I 
expected  that  the  peasant  men  and  women  dancing  the 
dances  of  the  country  mixed  together  with  the  servants  of 
the  house,  would  have  pleased  me  more,  but  they  have  no 
grace  whatever,  nor  the  men  even  any  choice  with  whom 
they  dance,  provided  they  could  run  about  and  make 
themselves  hot  in  executing  a  thousand  steps  of  a  '  reel ; ' 
it  seems  perfectly  indifferent  to  them  who  is  their  vis-a- 
vis, and  the  spectators  are  only  occupied  in  looking  and 
watching  the  moment  when  they  could  join  in  it  them- 
selves. This  ball  is  given  by  those  whose  harvest  is  all 
carried,  and  I  think  that  Lord  Douglas's  granary  ought  to 
have  been  better  arranged,  and  less  ill-lighted  for  a  fete, 
which  these  poor  reapers  expect  from  every  proprietor. 
The  great  and  rich  ought  to  take  a  pride  in  making  it 
a  little  more  brilliant  than  others. 

Thursday,  29th. — Walter  Scott  came  to  dinner. 

*  Convention  of  Cintra,  signed  and  concluded  at  Lisbon  August  30. 
t  Hon.  Frances  Elizabeth  Douglas,  daughter  of  Lord  Douglas ;  married, 
1826,  to  William  Moray  Sterling,  Esq.,  of  Ardoch. 

B  B   2 


372  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Friday,  30th. — I  had  a  long  conversation  with  Walter 
Scott  at  breakfast.  I  sat  for  the  last  time  for  my  por- 
trait. 

October  3rd. — Miss  Berry  left  Bothwell  for  Edinburgh. 

Thursday,  1th. — Stopped  at  Melrose.  The  ruin  is  only 
a  few  steps  from  the  inn.  It  is  of  great  beauty,  but  now 
spoilt  by  the  parish  church,  which  is  built  into  a  part  of 
the  interior,  with  a  modern  roof  placed  against  the  fine 
Gothic  columns,  and  supported  by  arches  constructed  upon 
a  different  plan  to  the  ancient  arches.  They  are  now 
building  a  new  church  on  the  other  side  of  the  town,  and 
as  soon  as  it  is  finished  they  are  going  to  pull  down  the 
modern  edifice  in  the  interior  of  the  ruin.  It  is  in  this 
Abbey  that  Walter  Scott  imagined  that  the  Enchanter, 
Michael  Scot,  lived,  and  where  he  makes  him  consulted 
by  Deloraine,  in  his  poem,  '  The  Lay  of  the  Last  Min- 
strel.' The  cicerone,  a  very  intelligent  man,  showed  us 
Alexander  III.'s  tomb,  upon  which  the  poet  supposed 
that  the  Enchanter  and  Warrior  sat.*  I  was  very  glad  to 
have  seen  this  very  ornamented  Gothic  ruin. 

Arrived  at  Minto.  Found  Lady  Mintof  and  her 
sister  in  the  library.  The  gentlemen  were  Playfair,  Wal- 
ter Scott,  Mr.  Eliot  of  Wells,  The  Castle  Spectre,  and 
three  young  Scotch  lawyers  and  reviewers,  by  name 
Erskine,  Murray, J  and  Thompson,  §  and  the  eldest  son  of 
the  house  Gilbert.  We  talked  agreeably  enough  after- 
wards. Walter  Scott,  as  usual,  narrating,  whilst  Play- 
fair  and  Lady  Minto  and  I  listened. 

They  sate  them  down  on  a  marble  stone, 
(A  Scottish  monarch  sleeps  below) 
Thus  spoke  the  monk  in  solemn  tone. — Canto  2,  v.  xii. 
f  Anna  Maria,  eldest  daughter  of  Sir  George  Amyand,  sister  to  Sir  George 
Oomewall,  Bart.,  and  to  the  Countess  of  Malmsbury;  married,  in  1777, 
Gilbert  Elliot,  first  Earl  of  Minto. 

%  Afterwards  Lord  Murray,  judge  of  the  Session. 

§  Thomas  Thompson,  Esq.,  Keeper  of  the  Records  in  Edinburgh,  and  well 
known  there  in  literary  society. 


1808]  LETTER   PROM    LORD    W.  SEYMOUR.  373 

In  the  middle  of  October  1808  Miss  Berry  returned  to 
London,  and  her  Journal  for  the  rest  of  the  year  furnishes 
little  worth  extracting. 

On  Poor  Marriages. 

October,  1808. 

I  found  my  old  friend  and  playfellow  in  a  small  uncomfort- 
able house,  surrounded  by  a  number  of  ugly,  ill-mannered 
children,  and  a  silly,  idle  husband.  The  smallness  of  their  for- 
tune depriving  her  children  of  those  means  of  education  which 
she  has  not  in  her  power  to  supply,  and  depriving  her  husband 
of  those  means  of  expense  which  can  alone  hope  to  conceal  and 
make  passable  in  the  world,  a  character  like  his.  The  same 
smallness  of  fortune,  crowding  them  inconveniently  altogether, 
makes  their  manners  hardly  amiable  to  each  other,  and  not  at  all 
so  to  their  friends.  This  is  a  sad  picture  of  what  is  commonly 
called  a  love  marriage  upon  a  small  fortune,  but  which  /  call 
an  ill-judged,  inconsiderate  union  formed  between  two  persons 
incapable  of  the  invigorating  influence  of  a  really  great  attach- 
ment, and  perfectly  unequal  either  to  meet,  or  to  make  the  best 
of  the  ills  they  entail  on  themselves,  and  on  their  children 
— persons  who  would  both  of  them  have  been  much  more  really 
happy  in  a  connection  where  their  transient  taste  had  been  less 
consulted,  and  their  permanent  convenience  more.  Life  must 
not  be  considered  (as  I  have  known  many  willing  to  consider 
it)  as  a  party  of  pleasure,  in  which,  if  your  companions  can 
contrive  to  make  themselves  entertaining  and  agreeable  for  a 
few  days,  while  engaged  in  the  same  pursuit,  it  is  all  that  can 
be  required  of  them.  In  the  acceptance  of  a  companion  for 
life,  attention  must  be  had  to  the  many  days  of  difficulty,  dis- 
tress, and  sickness  which  c  flesh  is  heir  to,'  and  from  which  no 
situation  can  be  exempted.  M.  B. 

A  Letter  from  Lord  Webb  Seymour  to  Miss  Berry. 

Edinburgh,  November  7,  1808. 

You  must  neither  expect  a  witty  letter,  though  you  are  a 
lady  to  whom  I  would  write  one,  if  I  could;  nor  a  pretty 
letter,  though  you  are  a  lady  to  whom  I  could  write  one,  had  I 
time ;  but  this  is  to  be  a  plain  matter  of  business  letter. 


374  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isos 

Sheldon,  the  Professor  of  Anatomy  to  the  Royal  Academy, 
is  lately  dead,  and  an  active  canvass  for  the  situation  is  going 
forward.  Among  the  candidates  is  Mr.  Charles  Bell,*  a  person 
for  whom  I  feel  considerably  interested,  from  the  manner  in 
which  I  hear  him  spoken  of  by  some  friends,  whose  good 
opinion  I  think  a  strong  recommendation.  Now,  though  you 
are  not  a  painter,  or  a  sculptor,  or  a  Member  of  the  Eoyal 
Academy,  yet,  as  you  have  a  good  deal  to  say  among  painters, 
and  sculptors,  and  Members  of  the  Eoyal  Academy,  and  Com- 
missioners in  the  Fine  Arts,  I  must  believe  your  favour  and 
support  to  be  of  importance  to  Mr.  Bell.  As  to  his  good  life- 
actions,  I  understand  that  he  bears  a  high  reputation  as  a  sur- 
geon and  anatomist,  as  he  has  made  the  connection  of  anatomy 
with  the  fine  arts  his  particular  study.  Of  his  attention  to 
this  point,  you  may  have  had  an  opportunity  of  judging,  if 
you  have  met  with  a  work  he  published  a  few  years  ago  on 
*  The  Anatomy  of  Expression  in  Painting.'  As  the  production 
of  a  young  man,  it  may  be  in  some  respects  deficient ;  but  I 
believe  it  to  contain  many  ingenious  and  just  observations. 
Mr.  Bell  appears  to  be  a  deserving  man  on  every  account,  and 
I  conceive  that  any  service  you  might  do  him  would  not  be 
misplaced.  If,  upon  enquiry,  you  find  there  is  another  candi- 
date better  qualified,  I  should  no  longer  beg  your  assistance  in 
the  cause  of  Mr.  Bell. 

The  post  is  going,  so  I  must  say  adieu. 

Yours  truly, 

WEBB  SEYMOUR. 

*  Afterwards,  Sir  Charles  Bell,  an  eminent  physiologist  and  surgeon; 
born  at  Edinburgh,  1774.  In  1806  he  removed  to  London ;  in  1811  he 
published  his  celebrated  work  on  the  '  Anatomy  of  Expression.'  He  made 
important  discoveries  on  the  physiology  of  the  nervous  system,  and  is  con- 
sidered to  have  laid  the  sure  foundation  of  all  subsequent  knowledge  of 
nervous  physiology.  Married,  1811,  Marian,  daughter  of  Charles  Shaw,  Esq., 
of  Ayr  ;  died,  1842. — Imp.  Diet.  Univ.  of  Biog. 


1809]  MR.    LONGMAN,   THE   PUBLISHER.  375 


1809. 

Saturday,  January  1th. — Mr.  Longman,  the  publisher, 
came  to  speak  about  my  French  Letters.  We  settled  about 
the  number  of  volumes,  their  size,  and  the  arrangement  of 
the  subject.  I  read  my  preface  and  parts  of  the  life  to 
him.  With  both  he  appeared  much  pleased — more  than 
I  expected.  As  to  the  price  he  would  give  me  for  the 
MS.,  we  agreed  he  should  speak  to  my  friend  Edwards, 
and  that  I  would  be  satisfied  with  whatever  he  arranged 
for  me. 

Friday,  20th. — It  snowed  again  hi  the  night.  I  went 
to  the  City  to  Mr.  Longman's,  to  take  him  the  Letters  to 
be  transcribed  for  the  printers.  Paternoster  Eow,  where 
he  lives,  and  all  the  small  streets  in  the  City,  are  almost 
impassable  from  the  quantity  of  snow,  which  lies  in  heaps. 
With  much  difficulty,  I  approached  his  door  in  the 
carriage. 

Saturday,  21st — I  was  awoke  by  the  drum  announcing 
a  fire  in  our  neighbourhood.  Notwithstanding  cold  and 
illness,  I  could  not  resist  going  to  the  window,  where  I 
saw  that  the  fire  was  neither  very  large  nor  very  near. 
I  heard  in  the  morning  it  was  St.  James's  Palace,*  the 
side  which  looks  upon  the  park.  I  heard  by  a  letter  that 
Sir  John  Moore's  army  in  Spain  was  re-embarked. 

Monday,  23rd. — This   morning,   whilst   at   breakfast, 


*  The  fire  broke  out  in  the  apartments  of  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  at  St. 
James's  Palace,  the  whole  interior  of  the  south-east  angle,  fronting  Marl- 
borough  House,  was  entirely  destroyed. — Annual  Register. 


376  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isog 

General  Abercrombie  *  came  in,  in  an  agitated  manner,  to 
ask  if  we  had  heard  any  news  ;  that  it  was  said  that  there 
had  been  an  affair  in  Spain,  and  that  Moore  f  was  killed. 
He  left  us  to  ascertain  the  truth,  promising  to  let  me 
know  what  he  heard.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  received 
the  confirmation  of  the  sad  news  in  a  bulletin,  sent  to  Mrs. 
Darner  by  one  of  her  neighbours,  and  which  she  for- 
warded to  me.  In  less  than  an  hour,  Abercrombie  him- 
self returned,  his  lips  quivering  with  agitation,  and  drops 
of  perspiration  standing  on  his  temples,  notwithstanding 
the  intense  cold.  The  deep  and  manly  grief  with  which 
he  felt  the  death  of  his  friend,  and  the  disasters  of  our 
forces,  though  victorious,  affected  me  extremely. 

Wednesday,  February  1st. — In  the  evening,  met  Mr. 
Thornton  from  the  House  of  Commons,  where  they  begin 
to  deal  with  these  strange  affairs  of  the  Duke  of  York.  J 

Tuesday,  21s#. — This  morning  I  went  to  the  Temple  to 
Mr.  Lysons',§  to  see  some  very  ancient  MSS.  of  the  time 
of  Henry  IV.,  Edward  IV.,  and  Eichard  HL,  &c.  &c.,  of 
which  he  is  the  depositary,  as  '  Keeper  of  the  Eecords  in 
the  Tower.'  Ah1  these  papers  he  has  brought  to  light,  and 
is  going  to  arrange  and  explain  them  in  a  very  satisfac- 
tory manner.  They  are  of  great  interest,  both  for  the 
history  of  the  country  and  for  the  character  of  the  kings. 

*  General  Sir  John  Abercrombie,  second  son  of  Ralph  first  Lord  Aber- 
crombie, died,  unmarried,  1817. 

t  Sir  John  Moore  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Moore,  author  of  'Zeluco,'  'Edward,' 
and  various  other  works,  born  at  Glasgow  in  1761 ;  entered  the  army  at  the 
age  of  fifteen ;  he  was  wounded  in  Corsica  1790.  In  1796  he  was  Brigadier- 
General  in  the  West  Indies,  under  Sir  R.  Abercrombie.  In  1797  he  was 
employed  in  Ireland  during  the  rebellion.  In  1799  he  went  on  the  ex- 
pedition to  Holland,  where  he  was  severely  wounded.  Was  sent  to  the  Me- 
diterranean, and  again  wounded  at  Alexandria.  On  his  return  to  England, 
he  was  made  a  Knight  of  the  Bath.  In  1808  commanded  an  army  in  Spain ; 
fell  under  the  walls  of  Corunna,  January  16,  1809. 

|  Charges  concerning  Mrs.  Clark. 

§  Samuel  Lysons,  a  writer  on  British  Topography  and  Antiquities,  born 
in  1763,  student  in  the  Middle  Temple,  and  his  brother  Daniel  published 
the  earlier  volumes  of  the  '  Magna  Britannica.'  Died  1819. 


1809]  THE   BURNING  OF   DRURY   LANE   THEATRE.  377 

Friday,  24th. — In  returning  from  Mr.  Bouverie's  in 
Grosvenor  Square,  we  first  perceived  the  burning  of  Drury 
Lane  Theatre,  which  began  to  light  up  all  the  windows 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Square.  From  the  third  story 
at  home  we  could  see  the  flames,  though  we  had  not  the 
least  idea  from  whence  they  came.  Behind  our  house  it 
was  so  light  that  we  could  see  to  read,  and  the  whole 
atmosphere  was  so  red  with  flames,  that  everybody 
thought  his  neighbour  on  fire  ;  and  what  was  still  more 
extraordinary,  people  thought  the  same  at  Twickenham, 
twelve  miles  from  the  fire.  Our  gardener  woke  up  in  a 
fright,  and  thought,  from  the  light,  that  it  was  from  some 
part  of  the  new  house.  Between  twelve  and  one  o'clock, 
Mr.  Cholmley  arrived  from  the  scene  of  action,  to  tell  us 
all  he  had  seen. 

Tuesday,  March  2nd. — We  passed  an  agreeable  even- 
ing at  the  Argyll  Eooms.  At  eleven  o'clock  there  were 
but  few  people ;  but  before  the  end  of  the  burletta, 
which  was  very  well  sung,  the  theatre  was  well  filled. 
Afterwards,  at  past  midnight,  everyone  took  their  places 
at  the  round  tables,  arranged  in  two  rooms  for  a  cold 
supper,  and  after  supper  some  people  began  to  dance  in 
the  room  where  the  theatre  is,  and  which  is  cleared  of 
the  benches  the  moment  the  petite  piece  is  over,  and 
makes  a  very  pretty  ball-room.  We  found  there  some 
ladies  and  a  good  many  gentlemen  of  our  own  acquaint- 
ance. 

Wednesday,  8th. — We  stayed  at  Mrs.  Bouverie's  till 
midnight,  to  hear  news  from  the  House  of  Commons, 
where  they  were  discussing  the  Duke  of  York's  affairs. 
Eeceived  a  note  from  Eonald  and  Whitbread.  Not  the 
least  hope  of  a  division  this  first  night. 

*  The  flames  burst  out  at  eleven  o'clock  at  night.  In  less  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  it  spread  in  one  unbroken  flame  over  the  whole  of  the  immense 
pile,  extending  from  Brydges  Street  to  Drury  Lane,  so  that  the  pillar  of  tire 
was  not  less  than  450  feet  in  breadth. — Annual  Register. 


378  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isoo 

Saturday,  2bth. — Dined  at  Sir  John  Stanley's.*  After 
dinner  arrived  the  Miss  Fanshaws,  Ways,  and  some  other 
people.  Went  to  Mr.  Knight,  where  we  found  Catalani, 
the  Corne walls,  and  Mercer  singing.  Catalani  predonneed 
several  airs  delightfully  with  Mercer. 

Friday,  April  28th. — In  the  morning  I  saw  Joanna 
[Baillie].  She  stayed  nearly  an  hour  with  me.  I  read  to 

her  my  '  Notice  upon  Madame  du  D 's  Life,'  with 

which  she  was  so  pleased  that  I  could  not  but  feel  very 
much  flattered.  I  afterwards  went  to  Walter  Scott's, 
where  I  saw  his  wife  for  the  first  time. 

Wednesday,  May  3rd. — Went  to  Mrs.  Montague's  ball. 
The  large  drawing-room  making  a  very  good  ball-room.'!' 
Everybody  comme  ilfaut  la,  except  the  opposition. 

Tuesday,  9th. — This  morning  I  had  a  very  satisfactory 
visit  from  the  Bishop  of  Eodez.|  He  will  come  to  me  one 
morning  in  every  week,  that  I  may  consult  him  upon  niy 
difficulties.  .  .  .  Went  to  the  Exhibition  of  Water  Colours, 
where  I  stayed  till  nearly  five  o'clock.  These  artists  in 
water  colours,  in  my  opinion,  have  not  made  much  pro- 
gress since  last  year.  There  is  one  (Eeinagle)  §  who 
surpasses  all  the  others.  After  him  comes  Varley  ||  in 
landscape,  and  Hopley  in  figures. 

Wednesday,  Wth. — Called  at  Lady  DonegalTs.  Soon 
after  Agnes  arrived,  saying  that  there  was  a  Mr.  Long 
who  wished  to  speak  to  me  upon  business,  and  that  she 
had  brought  him  with  her.  I  went  to  the  door  to  see 

*  Created  Lord  Stanley  of  Alderley,  1839  j  died  1850. 

t  Montague  House,  Portman  Square. 

J  Colbert,  Bishop  of  Rodez. 

§  Philip  Reinagle,  born  1750,  and  his  son  Ramsay,  born  1772,  both  artists 
of  German  origin,  and  of  some  eminence  as  painters  in  landscape,  portrait, 
and  animal  painting.  They  both  exhibited  in  the  Royal  Academy  as  early 
as  1787.  It  was  probably  Ramsay  Reinagle  who  exhibited  in  water 
colours. 

||  John  Varley,  an  eminent  water-colour  artist,  born  about  1777.  He  was 
a  man  of  eccentric  character,  and  made  no  secret  of  his  pretensions  as  an 
astrologer.  Died  1842.— Rose's  Siog.  Diet. 


1809]  THE   PRINCESS   OP  WALES.  379 

who  it  was,  and  found  it  was  Prince  Staremberg,  but  so 
disguised  *  that  he  could  hardly  be  recognised.  He  had 
rather  a  long  beard  below  his  chin  and  a  black  wig.  In  this 
disguise  he  had  crossed  Holland,  and  had  come  over  in  a 
fishing-boat,  which  brought  him  to  Aldborough  in  Suffolk, 
where  he  landed  between  one  and  two  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing, and  he  was  with  us  between  two  and  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  He  stayed  till  four  o'clock,  when  he 
was  to  see  Mr.  Canning.  In  the  evening  he  returned, 
after  having  dined  with  Mr.  Canning,  in  the  same  travel- 
ling costume. 

Friday,  12th. — This  morning  I  had  the  Bishop  of  Eodez 
with  me  for  nearly  two  hours.  I  read  to  him  my  preface 
and  my  '  Notice  on  the  Life,  &c.  &c.,'  with  which  he  was 
well  pleased,  saying  it  was  impossible  to  give  a  more 
faithful  picture  of  the  person  whom  he  had  known  during 
the  latter  years  of  his  life  in  great  intimacy. 

Tuesday,  30th. — Dined  at  Sir  George  Beaumont's.  Sat 
by  Sir  George.  Lamentable  the  manner  in  which  a  man 
of  his  turn  of  mind  and  great  accomplishments  speaks  of 
the  character  and  genius  of  Buonaparte,  the  distressing 
circumstances  of  Europe  and  ourselves  in  the  present 
moment  making  him  perfectly  blind  to  the  capacity  which 
has  wrought  such  wonderful  changes,  which,  whether 
ultimately  for  the  better  or  the  worse,  has  very  little  to  do 
with  the  argument — thinks  Cromwell  a  greater  man. 

Wednesday p,  31st.  —  At  half-past  ten  went  with  my 
sister  and  Miss  Godfrey  to  Mr.  Hope's.f  The  Princess 
of  Wales  had  dined  there,  and  stood  godmother  to  his 
second  son.  She  was  holding  a  circle  in  the  first  drawing- 
room  when  we  came  in.  Soon  afterwards  all  the  world 

*  This  disguise  must  have  been  rendered  necessary  by  the  difficulty  of 
crossing  Holland,  and  not  that  Prince  Staremberg  had  come  on  any  secret 
mission  to  England.  His  credentials  were  presented  in  due  form  on  his  ar- 
rival, and  he  resumed  his  post  he  had  quitted  the  preceding  year  as  Austrian 
Ambassador  to  the  Court  of  England. 

t  Henry  Hope,  Esq.,  the  author  of  '  Anastatius.' 


380  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso9 

went  to  the  statue  gallery,  where  was  dancing,  late  in 
beginning,  as  usual.  Princess  of  Wales  desired  Lady 
Sheffield  *  to  present  me  to  her.  Talked  for  a  minute  or 
two  of  the  Lockes.  I  stood  by  her  chair  till  somebody 
else  came  up,  and  I  got  away.  I  don't  think  she  was 
taken  with  me,  as  she  saw,  when  I  did  not  suppose  she 
did,  the  mien  which  I  made  to  Lady  Sheffield  when  she 
first  proposed  it  to  me — the  presentation — which  I 
changed  for  a  proper  Court  face  the  moment  I  saw  her 
looking,  and  the  thing  inevitable.  The  last  dance  before 
supper  she  danced  herself  with  Lyttelton.f  Such  an 
exhibition !  but  that  she  did  not  at  all  feel  for  herself, 
one  should  have  felt  for  her !  Such  an  over-dressed,  bare- 
bosomed,  painted  eye-browed  figure  one  never  saw  !  G. 
Eobinson  said  she  was  the  only  true  friend  the  Prince  of 
Wales  had,  as  she  went  about  justifying  his  conduct. 

Thursday,  June  1st. — Went  with  a  party  to  the  ball  in 
Argyll  Street  for  Mr.  Amsinck's  benefit.  The  ball  very 
full,  and  much  like  a  race  ball,  with  a  number  of  people 
one  knew,  and  a  number  more  one  never  saw  before. 
Went  into  one  of  the  low  boxes.  Sir  H.  Englefield  and 
Lord  Webb  Seymour  with  us.  We  sat  at  our  ease  the 
whole  night,  looking  on  upon  the  world. 

Saturday,  3rd. — Went  between  two  and  three  o'clock 
to  Lady  Glenbervie's  J  breakfast  at  the  Pheasantry.  The 
day  was  very  fine,  and  the  breakfast  pretty.  The  Princess 
of  Wales  there,  and  the  party  she  named.  The  rest 
of  the  company  all  Lady  Glenbervie's  neighbourhood. 
The  Princess  had  a  hot  dinner  in  the  library.  The  rest 
of  the  company  a  cold  one,  under  two  large  tents  or 


*  Lady  Anne  North,  second  daughter  of  Frederick  second  Earl  of  Giiil- 
ford  (Lord  North,  the  minister  of  George  III.)?  married  in  1798  to  Lord, 
afterwards  Earl,  of  Sheffield.  She  died  in  1832. 

t  Afterwards  Lord  Lyttelton. 

I  Lady  Catharine  Ann  North,  married  to  Sylvester  Douglas,  Lord  Glen- 
bervie,  1789. 


1809]  A  MASQUERADE.  381 

tarpaulins,  which  had  a  pretty  effect  in  the  wood.  .  Slept 
at  Strawberry  Hill. 

Wednesday,  1th. — Mrs.  Cholmleyand  two  of  her  daughters 
and  Walter  Scott  breakfasted  with  us.  Shortly  after  came 
Sir  G.  and  Lady  Beaumont,  Eobert  Walpole  and  Lady 
Louisa  Stuart,  and  Sir  W.  Pepys  and  F.  Cholmley.  Some- 
body was  to  read  Joanna  Baillie's  tragedy,  *  The  Family 
Legend  ; '  this  somebody  was  obliged  to  be  me,  as  nobody 
else  knew  her  hand,  or  had  ever  seen  the  play.  I  read 
the  first  three  acts,  Cholmley  the  fourth,  and  I  again  the 
fifth.  It  had  a  vast  effect  upon  Walter  Scott,  and  one 
that  was  very  pleasing,  from  the  evident  feeling  of  one 
poet  for  another. 

Thursday,  8th. — In  the  evening  I  dressed  myself  like 
an  old  peasant  woman — a  dress  and  masque  which  I  had 
possessed  some  time — and  went  with  Mrs.  Bouverie  to  a 
masquerade  at  Mrs.  Chichester's,  in  Harley  Street.  We 
went  at  half-past  twelve,  and  got  in  easily,  but  the  noise 
and  vulgarity  of  the  masques,  and  not  seeing  one  face 
unmasked  that  we  had  ever  seen  before,  made  our  party 
immediately  pull  off  ours  and  give  up  the  idea  of  any 
amusement.  The  crowd,  which  at  first  was  not  great, 
increased,  but  it  was  impossible  to  increase  the  noise. 
We  were,  in  less  than  an  hour's  time,  joined  by  Agnes, 
as  a  housemaid,  Miss  Godfrey  in  my  monk's  dress,  and 
Lady  Donegall  unmasked,  from  LadyLansdowne's,*  where 
they  had  left  many  masks,  much  company,  and  plenty  of 
room.  We  were  all  introduced  to  the  lady  of  the  house 
by  Lady  Donegall.  It  was  the  dullest  thing  of  the  kind 
at  which  I  ever  assisted,  though  certainly  the  noisiest  and 
fullest  of  characters,  such  as  they  were. 

Wednesday,  14<A. — Dined  at  Mrs.  's ;  a  dinner  of 

fifteen  people,  of  whom  my  only  acquaintance  was  Skef- 


*  Wife  of  John  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  relict  of  Sir  Duke  Gifford,  of 
Castle  Jordan,  Ireland. 


382  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [1309 

fington,*  who  I  found  afterwards  was  the  wit,  the  bel- 
esprit,  I'aigle  de  la  societe  \  \  Two  ladies  joined  after 
dinner  in  extolling  the  endowments  and  even  personal 
appearance  of  Skeffington. 

Friday,  16$. — In  the  morning  went  to  the  Exhibition 
with  Lady  G.  Morpeth.  Portrait  of  Sir  G.  Beaumont's 
mother  excellent.  Wilkie's  two  pictures,  and  another  by 
Bird,f  a  man  who  follows  his  steps,  all  that  I  remarked 
as  very  good. 

Thursday,  22nd. — Went  with  Lady  Georgiana  Morpeth 
to  George,  the  silk  mercer's,  through  all  the  dirtiest  streets 
of  London,  and  round  by  Covent  Garden  Theatre,  of 
which  the  immense  walls,  but  more  immense  scaffolding, 
is  really  curious.  After  dinner  walked  with  my  father 
and  sister  to  the  fields  between  Paddington  and  Bays- 
water.  The  haymaking,  a  beautiful  warm  quiet  evening ; 
we  sat  for  some  time  on  the  cocks  of  hay,  which  I  really 
enjoyed,  but  in  how  melancholy  a  manner,  Heaven,  who 
sees  within  my  soul,  alone  can  know ! 

Monday,  26th. — Went  to  Mr.  Hope's,  at  the  Deepden, 
near  Dorking.  The  place  pretty,  with  great  capabilities, 
from  the  irregularity  of  the  ground,  but  wants  much 
doing  to  it.  A  narrow  glen  or  hollow,  with  high  banks 
and  fine  trees ;  excellent  place  for  a  flower-garden,  where 
the  present  one  is  ill-arranged.  Looked  over  drawings  in 
the  evening. 

Tuesday,  27th. — Drove  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope  to  the 

*  Afterwards  Sir  Lumley  St.  George  Skeffington  of  Skeffington  Hall, 
County  Leicester.  He  was  the  author  of  some  dramatic  pieces.  None  of 
his  writings  were  published,  but  the  songs  in  the  '  Sleeping  Beauty  ' — a 
melodrama  of  his  composition — the  eccentricity  of  his  dress  and  appearance 
(black  ringlets,  cheeks  covered  with  rouge,  peculiar  hat  and  coat,  top  boots, 
&c.)  furnished  to  Gilray  a  subject  for  caricature.  From  some  cause  or  other, 
he  lost  his  fortune,  bis  property  was  sold,  and  he  was  forced  to  live  within 
the  rules  of  the  King's  Bench. 

t  Edward  Bird  ;  born  1772,  he  began  as  a  painter  of  tea-trays,  but  soon 
rose  to  some  eminence  as  an  artist  in  subjects  of  low  life.  He  afterwards 
attempted,  with  much  less  success,  great  historical  pictures.  Died  1819. 


1809]  VISIT  TO  WOTTON   PARK.  383 

Eookery,  a  place  belonging  to  Mr.  Fuller  (a  banker),  about 
four  miles  off.  There  is  a  considerable  lake,  and  a  very 
pretty  walk  round  one  side  of  it,  through  noble  beeches, 
and  the  wood  on  all  sides  hanging  picturesquely  over  it. 
At  the  farm,  the  largest  and  finest  witch-elm  I  ever  saw. 
Again  looked  over  drawings  in  the  evening. 

Wednesday,  28th. — Drove  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope  to 
Wotton  Park,  Sir  Frederick  Evelyn's.*  Pretty  retired 
place,  situated  in  a  bottom,  where  two  finely-wooded 
little  valleys  meet,  a  small  stream  running  in  each  of 
them.  An  old  brick  in-and-out  country  gentleman's 
house,  the  outside  covered  over  with  all  sorts  of  different 
verdure,  and  among  the  rest  with  an  apricot-tree.  A  fine 
display  of  flowers,  from  whence  the  ground  had  formerly 
risen  in  the  regular  stages  of  an  old  garden,  quite  up  to 
the  wood.  A  beautiful  jet  tfeau  yet  remains,  and  above 
it  steps  of  green  turf.  The  family  were  all  walking  in 
the  garden  when  we  stopped  to  look  at  it  from  the 
barouche.  They  invited  us  in,  and  we  walked  round  a 
most  luxuriant  flower-garden,  which  was  in  all  the  gor- 
geous display  of  the  present  season. 

Thursday,  29th, — Left  the  Deepden. 

Saturday,  July  1st. — Mr.  Playfair  dined  with  us  ;  after- 
wards drove  with  him  and  Miss  Godfrey  to  the  upper 
gate  of  Kensington  Gardens,  and  walked  entirely  round  ; 
the  evening  was  delicious,  the  walk  very  enjoyable.  Just 
in  front  of  us  was  Lord  Paget,f  four  of  his  children,  and 
his  brother,  the  General,  who  lost  an  arm  at  Oporto. £ 

Friday,  7th.  —  Went  to  Lady  M.  Fordyce's.  The 
Princess  of  Wales  there,  and  a  great  assembly  above  stairs. 
Lady  C.  Lindsay  met  us  on  the  staircase,  and  made  us  go 
into  the  room  below,  where  the  Princess  was  surrounded 

*  Sir  Frederick  Evelyn,  married  a  daughter  of  William  Turton,  Esq.,  of 
Staffordshire.    Died  1812. 

f  The  late  Marquis  of  Anglesey. 
J  General  Sir  Edward  Paget. 


384  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

by  her  usual  court — Sir  W.  Scott,*  Windham,  Lord  Henry 
Fitzgerald,f  Brownlow  North  J  Lewis,  §  Sir  H.  Englefield, 
Gill,  Craven,  &c.  &c.  We  sat  in  a  corner  talking  to  such 
of  them  as  were  not  employed  and  Lady  Glenbervie  plea- 
santly enough  for  above  an  hour.  The  Princess  very 
graciously  bowing  and  smiling  to  us  both,  and,  luckily, 
no  more. 

Saturday,  Sth. — At  near  three  o'clock  went  in  Lane's 
carriage  with  him,  Lord  W.  Seymour,  and  Mrs.  Lockhart, 
to  Lady  L.  Macdonald's  ||  breakfast.  It  was  a  fair  day. 
The  place  is  small,  and  not  very  pretty  at  East  Sheen, 
and  there  were  too  few  people,  which  made  it  dull.  Our 
party  was  conducted  to  breakfast  by  Miss  Macdonald  into  a 
summer-house,  where  the  other  convives  were  the  Duchess 
of  Beaufort,  Lady  Harrowby,^]"  Puysegur,**  Lord  A.  Ham- 
ilton,^ Edward  Montague,^  Lady  Anne  Hamilton, §§ 
and  the  eldest  Beckford.  Before  six  we  had  had  enough 
of  the  breakfast.  Lady  Donegah1  and  Mr.  Windham 
joined  us  in  the  evening  at  home.  Had  some  very  agree- 

*  Afterwards  Lord  Stowell. 

f  Son  of  first  Duke  of  Leinster. 

I  B.  North,  son  of  the  Bishop  of  Winchester. 

§  Mathew  G.  Lewis,  familiarly  called  Monk  Lewis  ;  born  1775.  ( The 
Monk,'  a  novel,  was  written  when  he  was  only  nineteen,  in  ten  days,  at 
the  Hague,  where  he  was  residing  as  attache".  He  was  the  author  of  the 
well-known  ballad  of  'Alonzo  the  Brave,'  and  of  the  'Tales  of  Terror,' 
'  Romantic  Tales,'  the  '  Bravo,'  &c. :  and  of  the  dramas  of  the  '  Castle 
Spectre,'  the  '  East  Indian,'  and  '  Timour  the  Tartar.'  His  Journal  of 
'  A  West  Indian  Proprietor '  was  published  after  his  death.  Died  at  sea  in 
1818. 

||  Lady  Louisa  Macdonald,  daughter  of  Granville,  second  Earl  Gower, 
married  1777  to  Right  Hon.  Sir  Archibald  Macdonald,  Chief  Baron  of  the 
Exchequer.  Died  1827. 

H  Daughter  of  Earl  Gower,  by  his  second  wife,  Susannah  Stewart, 
daughter  of  Earl  of  Galloway. 

**  Puyse"gur,  probably  the  Chevalier  de  Puysegur  who  came  to  London 
in  1806,  and  remained  till  1815.  Well  known  in  English  society. 

f|  Lord  Archibald  Hamilton,  son  of  Archibald  ninth  Duke  of  Hamilton, 
bom  1769,  died  1827. 

\\  Edward  Montague,  eldest  son  of  Mathew  Montague,  Esq.,  afterwards 
Lord  Rokeby,  born  1787,  died  1847. 

§§  Lady  Ann  Hamilton,  sister  to  Lord  Archibald. 


1809]  VISITS  TO   NURSERY  GROUNDS.  385 

able  conversation  with  Windham.  Just  after  I  went  to 
bed,  the  drums  beat  for  a  great  fire  in  Conduit  Street, 
which  so  waked  and  hurried  one's  spirits,  that  I  slept 
little.  Mr.  Frederick  North's  *  house  completely  burnt 
down. 

Monday,  10th. — In  the  morning  Miss  Murray  called. 
I  went  with  her  to  Bath  House.f  Curious  the  state  of 
perfect  neglect  in  which  Sir  William  Pulteney  had  lived 
in  it  till  his  death.  All  in  disorder  now,  and  it  will  be 
long  before  the  present  Sir  James  gets  it  furnished  by  the 
way  in  which  he  goes  on.  The  dining-room  is  done,  and 
very  handsomely  fitted  up  by  Morell.  Mrs.  D.  came  in 
the  evening  from  Strawberry  Hill ;  and  Mr.  Price,  Lord 
Webb  Seymour,  and  Prince  Staremberg.  Lord  Webb 
leaves  town  to-day.  His  going  is  a  loss.  He  is  rational 
and  conversable,  a  lively  fresh  mind,  and,  in  short,  very 
unlike  other  people. 

Tuesday,  ISth. — Went  in  the  morning  with  Mr.  Play- 
fair  to  see  the  two  panoramas  of  Cairo  and  of  Dublin. 
That  of  Cairo  admirable.  The  sandy  arid  look  of  the 
country  so  well  given,  and  contrasting  so  remarkably 
with  the  green  fringe  of  land  on  each  side  the  course  of 
the  Nile.  The  near  buildings — many  of  them  picturesque 
and  well  painted.  The  interior  of  the  city  of  Dublin  is 
an  ugly  subject,  but  extremely  well  done,  and  giving  a 
perfect  idea  of  a  meaner  dirty-looking  London. 

Monday,  24:th. — Mr.  Thornton  drove  me  in  the  morn- 
ing to  Thompson's  nursery  ground  at  Mile-End,  where 
we  spent  a  long  time  going  over  the  whole  garden.  From 
there  we  went  to  Lodige's  nursery  at  Hackney.  More 

*  Hon.  Frederick  North,  afterwards  fifth  Earl  of  Guilford. 

t  Sir  William  Pulteney,  created  Earl  of  Bath  1742 ;  died  1764,  s.  p. 
His  niece,  Henrietta  Pulteney,  married  Sir  James  Murray,  who  took  the 
name  of  Pulteney.  She  was  created  Baroness  and  Countess  of  Bath,  died 
1808  ;  Sir  James  died  1811.  The  house  was  afterwards  bought  and  rebuilt 
by  Alexander  Baring,  first  Lord  Ashburton.  It  still  retains  the  name  of 
Bath  House. 

VOL.  II.  C  C 


386  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

fine  plants  there  than  at  Thompson's.    Eeturned  with  two 
enormous  nosegays. 

A  letter  from  Lord  Webb  Seymour  to  Miss  Berry 
belongs  to  this  month  : — 

Worthing,  Sunday,  July  16,  1809. 

Though  the  cliffs  and  the  olive  groves  and  the  mountains  of 
Nice  are  strongly  contrasted  with  the  beach  at  Worthing,  the 
recollection  of  the  coast  I  so  lately  visited,  does  not  prevent 
me  from  finding  considerable  delight  in  this.  I  am  feeding  on 
the  purest  air  and  on  pleasing  dreams,  inspired  by  the  sea- 
breeze  and  the  murmur  of  the  surge.  Even  after  having  seen 
the  Mediterranean,  you  must  have  admired  some  of  the  seas 
that  we  have  had  within  these  few  days,  just  ruffled  by  a  gentle 
breeze,  and  reflecting  the  brightest  azure  of  our  climate. 

On  Friday  I  was  at  Brighthelmstone  (I  hope  you  like  its 
long  name),  to  pass  a  day  with  Mrs.  Spencer,  and  found  her  as 
agreeable  as  ever.  One  day  with  a  friend  in  that  way  is  worth 
a  hundred  scraps  in  London.  In  London  one  page  of  the  book 
is  forgotten  before  we  have  an  opportunity  of  looking  at  the 
next ;  and  you  and  I  must  meet  at  Bothwell  or  Tunbridge,  or 
some  other  place  in  the  same  style,  before  we  can  hope  to  put 
the  mark  much  farther  forward. 

Mrs.  Spencer  returned  to  London  on  Saturday.  She  is  very 
anxious  to  see  Mr.  Playfair,  and  I  promised  to  request  you  to 
make  them  acquainted. 

I  hope  you  will  congratulate  Playfair  for  me  and  for  your- 
self, upon  his  late  grand  publication  —  a  Peerage,  in  five 
volumes,  at  ten  guineas  a  volume.  Lord  Galloway,  whom  I 
met  at  Brighthelmstone,  makes  it  a  rule  never  to  subscribe  to 
any  book,  but  an  application  some  time  ago  from  a  person  of 
the  name  of  Playfair — a  name,  too,  followed  by  sundry  scien- 
tific titles  and  dignities — induced  him  to  relax  his  rule  in 
favour  of  the  celebrated  Edinburgh  Professor,  who  declared 
that  he  was  going  to  enlighten  the  world  by  his  speculations 
on  gules  argent  and  lions  rampant,  and  addressed  himself  to 
different  peers  for  their  patronage,  as  well  as  for  private 
sources  of  information.  At  length  the  work  appeared,  and  I 
found  Lord  Galloway  grievously  disappointed  by  the  trifling 


1809]  THE   POET  BARLOW.  387 

stuff  and  fulsome  flattery  with  which  the  production  of  this 
profound  man  abounded.  His  brother,  Edward  Stewart,  had 
indeed  ventured  to  raise  a  doubt  whether  it  was  the  Edinburgh 
Professor  who  was  the  author  of  this  work,  and  I  was  appealed 
to  for  the  decision  of  the  question.  The  book,  it  seemed,  Avas 
a  bad  one,  so  I  denied  that  our  friend  had  any  concern  in  it ; 
but  had  peers  and  pedigrees  been  properly  treated,  of  course  I 
should  have  felt  it  a  point  of  delicacy  to  refer  to  better 
authority  before  I  stripped  off  at  a  blow  the  reputation  to  be 
derived  from  five  ten-guinea  volumes.  I  saw  the  Lockes  of 
Norbury  at  Brighthelmstone.  Mrs.  S.  regretted  that  their 
absence  from  Norbury  deprived  her  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
you  there.  Did  you  ever  see  that  wonderful  beauty  of  a  little 
girl  of  hers  ? 

Yours  ever  sincerely, 

W.  S. 
Eemember  me  to  all  friends. 

August — I  have  been  reading  a  strange  poem — the 
'  Columbiad '  of  Poet  Barlow.*  Who  or  what  he  is  I 
know  not,  except  that  he  is  an  American,  deeply  imbued 
with  all  the  bad  taste  and  all  the  prejudices  which  belong 
to  his  nation,  in  its  present  state  of  society.  His  language 
is  not  English — at  least,  is  full  of  words  which  the  English 
language,  in  its  Eastern  domain,  does  not  acknowledge. 
His  verses  are  full  of  obscurity,  and  still  fuller  of  the 
most  ridiculous  alliterations  and  the  r6ughest  cacaphonias. 
Yet  I  have  been  amused  at  this  first  American  attempt  at 
an  epic,  with  all  its  faults,  all  its  vulgarisms,  all  its  bar- 
barous names,  all  its  prejudices,  and  all  its  false  reasoning. 
It  is  full  of  ideas,  embraces  an  endless  variety  of  subjects 
— past,  present,  and  to  come.  Sets  one  a  thinking,  some- 
times justly,  but  oftener  to  detect  and  wonder  at  its 

*  Joel  Barlow,  an  American  poet,  born  at  Reading,  Connecticut,  in  1755 ; 
he  was  the  son  of  a  farmer.  In  1787  his  greatest  poem,  '  The  Vision  of 
Columbus,'  appeared,  and  was  dedicated  to  Louis  XVI.  In  1808  he  en- 
larged and  republished  it  under  the  title  of  '  Columbiad.'  In  1811  he  was 
appointed  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the  French  Government.  Died  near 
Cracow  1812.— Imp.  Diet,  of  Univ.  Biog. 

c  c   2 


388  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

commonplace  mistakes,  and  the  conceit  with  which  so 
many  false  and  romantic  doctrines  are  brought  forward 
and  dwelt  upon.  Among  others,  that  of  the  perfectability 
of  the  human  race,  the  approach  to  which  is  supposed 
to  be  advanced  and  hastened  by  the  cultivation  and  im- 
provements of  America !  The  country  at  present  perhaps 
the  lowest  in  the  scale  of  moral  education,  the  farthest 
from  that  intellectual  character  and  perfection  which  such 
a  system  supposes.  Still,  represent  this  idea  of  the  per- 
fectability of  our  nature  as  you  will — even  in  the  uncouth 
alliterative  verses  of  Joel  Barlow — still  it  is  a  beautiful 
dream ;  still  it  is  a  reverie  in  which  benevolent  and  in- 
telligent minds  will  delight  to  indulge ;  still  the  sup- 
position of  an  indefinable,  though  not  an  interminable, 
perfection  must  conduce  to  raise,  dignify,  and  ameliorate 
man. 

Sunday,  6th. — After  church  I  went  to  Lord  Howe's, 
and  sat  some  time  with  Mrs.  Howe,  carrying  her  Play- 
fair's  problems,  with  which  she  was  delighted.  She  goes 
to-morrow  to  Sir  William  Pitt's,  in  Hampshire,  for 
three  months.  I  always  part  with  her  with  regret  for  so 
long  a  time.  Go  when  she  will  she  leaves  not  her  fellow 
behind  her,  at  past  eighty-seven,  which  she  is. 

Strawberry  Hill,  Monday,  1th. — Princess  of  Wales, 
attended  by  Lady  'Charlotte  Lindsay,  came  here  to  see 
the  house  at  three  o'clock.  Mrs.  Darner  had  received 
notice  two  or  three  days  before,  that  she  was  to  be  thus 
surprised — for  a  surprise  it  was  to  be,  and  no  trouble 
given.  She  knew  we  were  here,  and  asked  for  us.  We 
joined  the  party  in  the  Holbein  room.  The  Princess 
talked  a  great  deal  more  than  she  looked  at  anything, 
and  seemed  pleased  to  have  more  people  to  talk  to ;  the 
pictures,  &c.,  of  the  house,  and  observations  on  them, 
came  merely  to  fill  up  gaps  and  give  new  matter  for  dis- 
course. She  was  in  her  very  best  manner,  and  her  con- 
versation is  certainly  uncommonly  livery,  odd,  and  clever. 


180D]  ROYAL   PARSIMONY.  389 

What  a  pity  that  she  has  not  a  grain  of  common  sense  ! 
not  an  ounce  of  ballast  to  prevent  high  spirits,  and  a 
coarse  mind  without  any  degree  of  moral  taste,  from 
running  away  with  her,  and  allowing  her  to  act  inde- 
corously and  ridiculously  whenever  an  occasion  offers! 
Were  she  always  to  conduct  herself  as  she  did  here  to-day 
she  would  merit  the  character  of  having  not  only  a  remark- 
ably easy  and  gracious  manner,  but  natural  cleverness  above 
any  of  her  peers  that  I  have  seen,  and  a  good  many  have 
at  different  times  fallen  under  my  observation.  After- 
walking  over  the  house,  she  was  carried  into  the  library, 
where  refreshments  were  prepared.  Of  these  she  did 
not  taste,  but  proposed  our  all  sitting  down,  which  we 
did  for  about  half  an  hour,  then  departed  with  a  thou- 
sand thanks  to  Mrs.  Darner,  and  shaking  us  all  by  the 
hand.  She  had  with  her  the  little  boy  whom  she  brings 
up.  Some  poor  body's  son  at  Deptford,*  and  whom  she 
would  do  well  to  put  to  school,  but  does  very  ill  to  take 
about  with  her  during  his  holidays.  She  is  not  of  a 
disposition  to  want  either  the  amusement  or  endearing 
tenderness  of  a  child  ;  and,  after  all  that  has  been  said  of 
her,  one  may  easily  guess  what  may  be  said  of  this  little 
boy  about  seven  or  eight  years  old.  She  talked  much  of 
Gell,  who  seems  at  present  in  high  favour  ;  much  of  Jeuzie,f 
whom  she  really  seems  to  value  as  she  deserves. 

Tuesday,  Sth.  —  Lady  Glenbervie  called  in  the  morning 
to  propose  to  Mrs.  Darner  from  the  Princess  to  share  a 
box  at  Covent  Garden  Theatre  with  her  ;  that  is  to  say, 
have  it  on  opera  nights.  This  is  an  arrangement  nobody 
will  make  with  her.  But  how  ridiculous,  how  ill-managed 
and  mean  in  this  extravagant  and  spending  country,  that 
a  Princess  of  Wales  should  not  be  able  to  have  a  box  at 
the  national  theatre  to  herself  —  that  the  King  should  not 
give  a  sum  yearly,  and  have  so  many  boxes  for  the  use  of 


Austen.  f  ^rs-  William  Locke. 


390  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

his  family !  The  evening  was  fine,  and  I  went  through 
Twickenham  churchyard,  and  settled  in  my  own  mind 
upon  the  place  where  I  should  like  a  stone  to  be  placed, 
and  myself  deposited  near  it.  It  is  a  cheerful  church- 
yard, and  the  place  I  have  chosen  near  that  beautiful  view 
of  the  river,  the  group  of  poplars,  and  the  opposite  bank, 
which  I  have  always  so  much  admired,  and  at  which  I 
stood  this  evening  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in 
quiet  and  solitary  enjoyment,  gilded  as  it  was  by  a  beau- 
tiful evening  sun.  To-day  I  have  felt  better  than  for 
months  past,  and  considered  the  churchyard  and  every 
idea  connected  with  it  just  as  I  could  wish  to  do,  and  as 
every  rational  mind  ought  to  consider  everything  con- 
nected with  their  release  from  this  existence,  whose  pro- 
longation after  the  middle  of  life  nothing  but  particular 
circumstances  can  render  desirable. 

Monday,  \kth. — I  worked  at  my  French  Letters  all 
the  morning.  In  the  evening  read  aloud  the  account  of 
General  Moore's  campaign  in  Spain.  What  an  account 
it  is !  What  an  idea  does  it  give  one  of  his  character  in 
every  respect,  aud  what  treatment  did  he  receive — what 
a  situation  was  he  put  in !  What  abilities  did  he  exert 
to  rescue  himself  and  his  army !  What  suffering  he  un- 
derwent, and,  after  all,  to  seal  them  with  his  blood ! 

Wednesday,  IQth. — Agnes  and  I  went  to  Lady  Stuart's 
Lodge,  in  Eichmond  Park,  by  appointment,  to  see  her  son 
Charles,*  and  to  hear  his  accounts  both  of  Spain  and 
Austria.  For,  since  I  saw  him  at  Lady  Spencer's  break- 
fast on  the  2nd  of  July,  last  year,  he  has  been  over  almost 
all  Spain,  and  a  very  considerable  part  of  Austria.  He  gives 
me  a  melancholy  account  of  the  wounds  of  poor  Louis 
de  Lichtenstein,  in  the  battle  of  Eatisbon.  He  must  now, 

*  Son  of  Lieutenant-General  the  Hon.  Charles  Stuart,  K.B.,  and  of 
Louisa,  daughter  of  Lord  Vere  Bertie,  and  grandson  of  Lord  Bute,  the  Mi- 
nister ;  born  1779 ;  married  Lady  Elizabeth  Yorke  in  1816 ;  created  Lord 
Stuart  de  Rothsay,  1828 ;  died  1845. 


1809]  LETTER   FROM   PROFESSOR   PLAYFAIR.  391 

in  all  human  probability,  be  for  ever  incapacitated  for 
serving,  and  this  to  a  hero  at  twenty-nine !  When  we 
lamented  to  Charles  Stuart  how  much  he  must  have  suf- 
fered within  this  last  twelve  months,  he  owned  he  had 
been  very  well  amused  too ;  that  the  two  flights  which 
he  had  witnessed  and  shared  in,  from  Madrid  and  from 
Vienna,  were  very  entertaining.  His  is  an  active,  pene- 
trating mind,  which,  I  dare  say,  while  busily  employed, 
does  not  feel  too  much  to  be  prevented  treating  the  world 
like  the  French  philosopher,  '  avec  le  sarcasme  de  la  gaiete* 
et  1'indulgence  du  mepris.' 

Friday,  25th. — We  all  three  drank  tea  at  the  Duchess 
of  Montrose's.*  Nobody  there  but  herself  and  three 
daughters — fine,  civil,  and  cheerful-looking  girls — and  the 
only  boy,  much  younger  than  any  of  them.  They  are  in 
Prince  Staremberg's  house,  and  the  room  in  which  we 
have  all  spent  so  many  evenings  and  so  much  time !  with 
a  work-table  in  the  middle  of  it,  so  much  the  same,  and 
so  much  altered,  made  us  all  melancholy. 

The  following  letter  from  Professor  Playfair  belongs  to 
this  date.  The  extraordinary  energy  and  clearness  of 
mind  possessed  by  Mrs.  Howe,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-seven,  seems  to  have  interested  and  surprised  him 
greatly  :— 

Edinburgh,  Aug.  25,  1809. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — I  am  sure,  from  the  way  in  which  Mrs. 
Howe  has  set  about  resolving  the  problem,  that  she  will 
succeed  in  it  easily.  I  have  hardly  met  with  anything  more 
singular  than  the  ardour  and  acuteness  of  this  lady  at  so 
advanced  a  period  of  life.  It  is  a  phenomenon  worthy  to  be 
recorded  in  the  history  of  the  human  mind,  the  more  that  it 

*  Caroline  Maria  Duchess  of  Montrose,  daughter  of  the  fourth  Duke  of 
Manchester.  The  three  eldest  daughters  were  Lady  Georgiana  Graham, 
married  the  late  Earl  of  Winchelsea,  1814;  Lady  Caroline  Graham ;  Lady 
Lucy,  married,  1818,  the  late  Lord  Powis  j  Lord  Graham,  present  Duke  of 
Montrose,  b.  1799. 


392  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1509 

throws  a  cheerful  gleam  over  that   portion  of  life  that  is  so 
'  dark  and  unlovely.' 

To  Mrs.  Howe's  impatience  to  be  set  right,  and  my  own 
mistakes  in  setting  her  wrong,  I  have  great  obligation,  as  they 
have  procured  me  the  pleasure  of  hearing  from  you  sooner  than 
I  should  have  otherwise  have  done.  I  only  wish  that  in  addition 
to  what  you  have  said,  you  had  mentioned  your  health  ;  there  is 
no  subject  whatever  in  which  I  feel  more  interest :  nothing  in 
which  I  should  rejoice  more  than  to  have  good  accounts. 

As  to  myself,  I  stood  the  journey  very  well,  and  continue  to 
get  stronger  every  day,  but  I  shall  always  have  great  pleasure 
in  recollecting  that  I  am  to  date  my  recovery  from  my  visit  to 
Strawberry  Hill. 

No  wonder  that  your  politics,  as  you  say,  are  gloomy ;  the 
nation  is  in  that  unfortunate  situation  that  the  success  of  its 
arms  do  no  service  either  to  itself  or  its  allies.  Of  what  use 
is  Sir  Arthur  W.'s  very  brilliant  and  dear-bought  victory,  but 
by  the  honour  it  reflects  on  British  valour  ?  The  taking  of  a 
small  smuggling  town  is  accompanied  with  neither  glory  nor 
advantage.  And  the  breaking  of  the  armistice  by  Austria  por- 
tends, I  fear,  the  total  annihilation  of  that  power.  The  Pope 
has  excommunicated  Buonaparte.  Does  Austria  trust  in  the 
effect  of  what  was  once  so  terrible  to  herself,  or  does  she  trust 
in  the  effect  of  our  great  expedition  ?  They  are  weapons 
nearly  of  equal  force. 

Lord  Frederick  is  here,  in  perfect  health,  activity,  and  spirits. 
Sir  William  Scott,  who  is  living  also  at  Dumbridge,  is  much 
with  him.  I  am  going  with  them  to-day  to  see  the  bones  of 
the  sea-snake,  which  are  now  here ;  and  likely  to  create  a  good 
deal  of  dispute  among  anatomists,  as  to  the  species  of  animal 
to  which  they  belong. 

I  must  entreat  to  be  remembered  to  Mrs.  Darner  and  Miss 
Agnes. 

Yours,  with  sincere  attachment, 

JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 

Saturday.,  September  2nd. — Went  at  two  o'clock,  by 
appointment,  with  Lord  Webb  Seymour  and  with  Miss 
Colernan,  to  Bow  Street,  Covent  Garden,  to  see  the  front 
of  the  new  theatre — very  handsome,  plain  Grecian  doric, 


1809]  THE   DUKE   OF   BEDFORD'S   STATUE.  393 

but  the  pediment  in  the  centre  strikes  me  as  not  suffi- 
giently  extended  for  the  extent  of  the  front ;  the  basso- 
relievos  not  sufficiently  large  for  the  large  flat  space  in 
which  they  are  placed,  and  the  statues  in  the  niches  at 
each  end  of  the  front  too  small,  both  for  their  niches  and 
for  the  place  of  those  niches.  The  composition  of  the 
two  basso-relievos  do  not  tell  their  own  story,  and  are 
not  well  grouped,  although  particular .  figures  are  good. 
Then  to  Eussell  Square  to  look  at  the  Duke  of  Bedford's 
statue.  I  like  it  much.  The  head  is  admirable,  both  in 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  treated  and  its  extraordinary 
likeness.  The  drapery,  his  robes,  managed  without  affec- 
tation as  well  as  any  Eoman  toga.  The  drapery  of  the 
legs  only  I  did  not  like  ;  they  have  a  sort  of  thin  twisted 
trouser  all  round  them,  exactly  like  what  belongs  to  the 
Phrygian  dress,  and  which  has  certainly  nothing  to  do 
with  the  robes  of  an  English  duke.  The  pedestal  is 
granite,  with  bronze  basso-relievos  —  handsome.  The 
basso-relievos  and  the  figures  of  the  Seasons  at  the  corner 
of  the  pedestal  are  ill  seen,  from  not  being  able  to  walk 
round  the  statue. 

Thursday,  1th. — Went  with  Sir  H.  Englefield  to  Fogg's, 
the  china  shop.  Some  of  the  finest  pieces  of  Indian  china 
I  ever  saw,  and  two  beautiful  dessert  services  of  old 
Sevres.  Both  sold  as  well  as  most  of  the  other  pieces  of 
Sevres  in  the  same  room  to  Lord  Gywdyr — one  of  the  sets 
for  600/.  Two  China  pagodas  in  this  shop,  most  splendid 
pieces  of  porcelain,  at  least  seven  feet  high,  standing  on 
the  ground. 

Saturday,  9th. — Went  with  Prince  Staremberg  and 
Mrs.  Darner  to  Astley's.  Well  enough  entertained.  '  The 
Arab,'  a  pretty  set  of  scenes,  with  a  combat  at  the  end, 
in  which  twelve  real  horses  appear  upon  the  stage.  Were 
the  stage  larger,  it  would  be  a  better  spectacle ;  as  it  is, 
it  is  very  well  managed. 

Tuesday,  12?A. — In  the  evening  went  to  the  Hay  market 


394  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1309 

with  Prince  Staremberg  and  Mrs.  Darner.  Pieces :  '  The 
Voice  of  Nature,'  '  Of  Age  To-morrow,'  and  '  Killing  no 
Murder.'  The  first  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  the 
judgment  of  Solomon  enacted  by  a  king  of  Sicily.  The 
hero  (not  King  Solomon)  was  well  acted  by  Mr. 
Young,  and  the  heroine  not  badly  by  Mrs.  Gibbs.  The 
house  was  very  full,  and  with  very  good  company. 

Sunday,  11th. — In  the  evening  Lord  Webb  Seymour 
came  to  bid  us  farewell.  He  sets  out  for  Scotland  to- 
morrow morning.  He  parted  with  us  kindly,  almost 
affectionately.  How  my  heart  thanks  anybody  for  this 
sentiment,  and  how  much  more  from  one  so  distinguished 
by  his  intelligence  and  amiable  simplicity  of  manners  ! 

Monday,  18^. — Breakfasted  early  with  my  father  and 
sister,  who  set  off  for  Tunbridge. 

Tuesday,  19^. — Prince  Staremberg  gave  an  accurate 
and  amusing  account  of  the  opening  of  the  new  Covent 
Garden  Theatre  the  night  before.  Not  a  single  word  of 
either  play  or  farce  heard.*  The  actors  all  went  on  as  if 


*  In  consequence  of  the  expense  attending  the  building  of  the  new  thea- 
tre, it  was  found  necessary  to  augment  the  prices  of  admission.  One  shilling 
on  the  boxes,  and  sixpence  on  the  pit.  After  five  nights  of  noise  and  riot, 
Mr.  Kemble  shut  up  the  house,  and  submitted  the  accounts  to  a  committee 
of  gentlemen.  On  reopening  the  theatre,  however,  the  disturbances  recom- 
menced, and  in  addition  to  the  other  noises  was  an  accompaniment  of  coach- 
men's horns,  trumpets,  dustmen's  bells,  and  watchmen's  rattles.  Many 
came  with  the  letters  O.P.  in  their  hats  and  upon  their  clothes,  and  joined 
in  the  notable  O.P.  dance,  as  it  Was  called,  which  consisted  in  an  alternate 
stamping  of  the  feet,  accompanied  with  the  regular  cry  of  '  O.P.'  in  noisy  and 
monotonous  cadence.  The  proprietors  lost  their  temper.  A  pugilistic  corps 
was  imprudently  introduced  into  the  pit,  and  disgraceful  fights  ensued.  Mr. 
Clifford,  a  barrister,  appeared  in  the  pit  with  the  letters  O.P.  in  his  hat. 
Brandon,  the  boxkeeper,  procured  his  apprehension  as  a  rioter,  and  carried 
him  before  a  magistrate,  by  whom  he  was  discharged.  Mr.  Clifford  indicted 
Brandon  for  an  assault  and  false  imprisonment,  in  which  indictment  Bran- 
don was  cast.  The  proprietors  were  now  obliged  to  make  a  compromise 
that  the  boxes  should  continue  at  7s.,  and  the  pit  be  restored  to  the  old 
price,  3«.  6d.  The  dismissal  of  Brandon  was  loudly  called  for  and  complied 
with.  He  was  afterwards  reinstated  in  office,  and  the  customary  routine 
restored. — Annual  Register. 


1809]  THE   "  0.  P."   ROWS.  395 

to  an  attentive  audience.  No  serious  damage  done  to  the 
house.  Walked  at  six  o'clock  to  dinner  at  Mrs.  Buller's  ; 
Cosway,  and  Eobert  Clifford  the  company  in  the  evening. 

The  modest  pomp  of about  politics,  the  state  of 

the  ministry,  his  anger  with  Eobert  Clifford  about  Lord 
Chatham,  and  his  confused  bothered  arguments  to  me, 
very  amusing  for  a  single  evening. 

Wednesday,  20^. — Mr.  Mathew  Montague  called  upon 
me.  More  than  half  an  hour's  conversation  with  him 
on  politics  and  the  curious  state  in  which  his  friend 
Percival  and  the  rest  of  his  associates  in  the  Ministry 
find  themselves  at  present — Mr.  Canning  *  declaring  he 
will  be  Prime  Minister,  and  lead  the  House  of  Commons 
or  nothing,  and  wanting  Mr.  Percival  to  be  Chancellor, 
and  go  up  to  the  House  of  Lords,  Mr.  Percival  declaring 
that  his  conscience  and  his  attachment  to  the  King  pre- 
vent this,  as  it  would  be  throwing  the  King  into  the 
power  of  Mr.  Canning,  whom  he  (the  King)  hates.  To 
what  is  this  poor  country  reduced  from  the  mere  lack  of 
superior  abilities !  At  three  o'clock  set  out  for  Lady 
Button's,  Moulsey  Hurst. 

Thursday,  21st. — Walked  to  Lady  Tancred's,f  which 
joins  this  place.  It  is  a  pretty  small  house,  which  she 

*  It  had  been  for  some  time  apparent  that  the  Duke  of  Portland  could  not 
remain  at  the  head  of  the  Ministry,  and  Mr.  Canning  had  put  forward 
his  claims  for  that  post.  He  laid  a  foundation  for  this  arrangement  by 
affirming  the  principle  that  the  head  of  the  Ministry  ought  to  be  in  the 
House  of  Commons.  This,  as  he  considered,  reduced  the  question  to  a 
choice  between  Percival  and  himself,  and  he  asserted  his  claims  to  a  pre- 
ference over  Percival.  The  King  and  the  Cabinet  did  not  concur  in  this 
view  ;  and,  therefore,  on  the  receipt  of  the  Duke  of  Portland's  answer,  Mr. 
Canning  having  failed  in  procuring  the  removal  of  Lord  Castlereagh  and  in 
becoming  the  successor  of  the  Duke  of  Portland,  lost  no  time  in  resigning  his 
office. — Administration  of  Great  Britain  from  1783  to  1830.  By  Right  Hon. 
Sir  G.  C.  Lewis.  From  this  state  of  things  arose  the  quarrel  between  Lord 
Castlereagh  and  Mr.  Canning,  that  occasioned  a  hostile  meeting  on  Putney 
Heath,  on  the  21st  Sept.,  1809. 

t  Henrietta  Lady  Tancred,  wife  of  Sir  Thomas  Tancred,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Offley  Crewe;  married  1805;  died  1837. 


396  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [ISOD 

has  fitted  up  very  elegantly.  Her  sons  lives  with  her. 
Dined  with  Sir  Thomas  *  and  Lady  Button.  His  conver- 
sation always  remarkably  sensible,  and  liberal-minded, 
and  to  the  purpose. 

Saturday,  23rd. — Walked  with  Lady  Tancred  to  the 
church  of  the  village  of  West  Moulsey,  and  from  thence  to 
a  house  on  a  common,  which,  upon  enquiry,  I  found  in- 
habited by  my  old  acquaintance  Thomas  Pitt,f  whom  we 
met  when  first  in  Italy.  He  is  now  a  widower,  with  a 
daughter  grown  up,  and  three  tall  sons.  I  made  Lady 
Tancred  call  with  me  upon  him,  but  he  was  out.  In  the 
evening,  he  and  his  daughter  and  sons  came  and  drank 
tea  at  Sir  Thomas  Sutton's.  He  is  just  what  he  was — a 
quiet,  regular,  sensible  man. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Professor  Play  fair  to  Miss  Berry. 

Eleg  House,  Oct.  5,  1809. 

...  I  have  been  much  delighted  with  Mrs.  Howe's  solu- 
tion of  the  question  about  the  bees.  That  which  is  contained 
in  her  second  note  is  a  perfectly  accurate  and  scientific  investi- 
gation. It  is  not  a  little  wonderful  that  a  lady  leading  a 
fashionable  life  should  in  the  most  active  and  vigorous  state  of 
her  mind  have  acquired  such  a  skill  in  the  abstract  methods  of 
algebra  as  to  be  able  to  solve  such  a  question.  That  at  Mrs. 
Howe's  age  she  should  be  able  and  inclined  to  take  the  trouble 
of  doing  it,  is  no  less  surprising  than  it  is  pleasing  to  observe. 
I  must  request  you  to  transmit  her  the  enclosed  note.  This 
must  be  a  time  of  great  agitation,  I  think,  with  you  in  London 
and  its  neighbourhood ;  the  concussion  reaches  us  at  this  distance 
very  forcibly.  The  misconduct  of  all  our  expeditions  and  the 
duel  of  two  Cabinet  Members  have  filled  up  the  cup  of  the  iniquity 
of  the  present  administration.  I  hope  Lords  Or.  and  Gr.  will  not 
think  of  a  coalition ;  that  would  only  weaken  and  disgrace  them. 
You  ask  me  about  the  author  of  the  article  ( Eeform '  in  the  last 
number  of  the  '  Edinburgh  Eeview.'  The  article  is  by  Jeffrey 

*  Sir  Thomas  Sutton,  Bart.,  of  Moulsey.     Baronetcy  extinct  1813. 
t   Vide  Journal  of  1783. 


1809]  KING'S   COLLEGE    CHAPEL,    CAMBRIDGE. 

himself,  and  is  in  all  respects,  I  think,  worthy  of  the  praise  you 
bestow  on  it.  '  Lord  Valentia '  is  not  in  this  nor  will  be  in  the 
next,  unless  Miss  Agnes,  whose  idea  of  the  book  was  perfectly 
just,  will  favour  us  with  a  critique  on  it.  I  have  got  a  report 
on  the  progress  of  science  for  the  last  nineteen  years  made  to 
Buonaparte  last  year,  that  I  intend  to  give  some  account  of  it 
in  the  next  number. 

Monday,  October  2nd. — Returned  to  London. 

Sunday,  8th. — Went  to  Wimpole. 

Wednesday,  18th. — Set  out  with  Lady  Catherine  and 
Lady  Elizabeth  Yorke*  in  the  chariot  and  four,  and 
Lord  Hardwicke  on  horseback,  soon  after  ten,  for  Cam- 
bridge. Walked  to  King's  College  Chapel.  The  small 
towers  on  the  outside  very  light  and  beautiful.  The 
inside  struck  me  much  more  than  it  did  in  the  year  1786, 
when  I  first  saw  it.f  I  did  not  feel  so  much  the  want  of 
the  intersecting  arches  of  aisles  as  I  remember  I  did  then. 
It  is  disfigured  by  an  organ-loft  of  the  worst  style  of  Henry 
VIII.  ;  sort  of  sprigged  pilasters.  The  painted  glass  win- 
dows very  fine.  The  east  window,  though  very  large,  not 
remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  its  tracery.  Walked  through 
the  two  squares  of  Trinity ;  the  first  from  the  street,  with 
the  fountain  in  it,  large,  spacious,  cheerful,  and,  I  think, 
as  striking  as  the  Wolsey  Square  at  Christ  Church,  in 
Oxford.  In  the  chapel  on  one  side  of  this  square  is  the 
statue  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  J  The  head  and  the  thought- 
ful expression  of  the  whole  figure  really  admirable.  One 
regrets  that  such  an  artist  was  confined  to  the  representa- 
tion of  such  drapery  as  a  silk  gown.  The  hall  of  Trinity 
a  fine  building.  The  servitors  still  dine  there.  Sir  Isaac 
Newton's  picture  at  the  head  of  the  hall,  and  again  in  the 
combination  room.  Saw  the  kitchen,  in  which  seven 

*  Married,  1816,  to  Sir  Charles  afterwards  Lord  Stuart  de  Rothsay. 
t  In  Horace  Walpole's  letter  of  June  30,  1789,  he  reproaches  Miss  Berry 
with  not  sufficiently  admiring  King's  College  Chapel. 

J  By  Louis  Francois  Roubillac,  a  native  of  Lyons.    He  died  in  1762. 


398  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  .        [isog 

persons  are  employed.  Immense  roasting  apparatus,  but 
did  not  look  altogether  very  clean.  Second  square  of 
Trinity  a  more  modern  building.  One  side  of  it  entirely 
library,  with  windows  both  ways.  This  library  is  sup- 
ported upon  four  rows  of  Tuscan  pillars. 

Thursday,  19^. — Set  out  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  coach 
with  Lord  Hardwicke,  Lady  Catherine,  and  Lady  Eliza- 
beth, for  Newmarket,  twenty-three  miles  from  hence.  The 
whole  way  from  Cambridge  the  road  passes  through  the 
ugliest  country  that  can  be  imagined.  Newmarket  Heath 
is  entered  by  a  turnpike  at  what  is  called  the  Devil's 
Ditch,  a  high  mound,  with  a  deep  ditch  of  turf  below, 
extending  for  several  miles,  of  which  no  account  is  given, 
and  which  is  in  fact  a  curious  antiquity.  The  Heath  is 
equally  bare  and  open  upon  all  sides,  with  nothing  to 
break  the  horizon  but  Ely  Cathedral,  seen  at  the  distance 
of  ten  or  twelve  miles.  The  inn  is  almost  opposite  what 
are  called  the  rooms,  where  men  only  meet,  and  which 
have  rather  a  handsome  entrance  of  three  arcades  from  the 
street,  and  in  this  street  Tattersall  was  selling  horses  by 
auction,  and  all  the  young  men,  whose  faces  one  knows 
in  London,  were  walking  about,  as  well  as  all  the  fathers 
of  the  turf,  such  as  Sir  Frank  Standish,  Sir  Charles  Bun- 
bury,  &c.  &c.  It  had  the  oddest  effect  possible  to  see  so 
many  figures  one  hardly  ever  sees  out  of  London,  walk- 
ing about  in  a  sort  of  village-town,  for  Newmarket  is  no 
more,  with  the  exception  of  some  good  houses.  About 
one  o'clock  ah1  these  men  mounted  their  horses,  and  pro- 
ceeded towards  the  Heath,  half  a  mile  from  the  town. 
We  followed  them  in  the  carriage,  with  many  other  car- 
riages, and  Lord  Hardwicke  on  horseback.  The  scene  of 
so  many  horsemen  and  a  good  many  people  on  foot,  all 
trooping  the  same  way,  very  gay  and  pretty.  When 
they  got  upon  the  Heath,  it  is  so  vast  that  they  seemed 
only  like  small  groups  upon  it.  It  was  said  to  be  a  day 
of  little  sport.  But  four  races  were  run  :  two  subscrip- 


1609]  NEWMARKET  EACES.  399 

tions,  for  each  of  which  six  horses  started  ;  and  two 
matches.  But  the  style  in  which  all  this  is  managed  here, 
the  rapidity  with  which  one  race  follows  another,  though 
on  different  courses — that  is,  on  different  parts  of  the 
Heath — the  scene  at  the  betting  post,  one  of  which 
belongs  to  each  course,  and  is  the  only  permanent  thing 
upon  it,  for  the  ropes  are  immediately  moved,  and  the 
winning  post  (a  little  machine  upon  wheels)  is  moved 
from  one  to  the  other.  All  this  was  new  and  entertain- 
ing to  me.  Between  each  race  all  the  men  and  ah1  the 
carriages  are  collected  at  the  betting-posts.  Just  before 
the  horses  start,  the  carriages  take  their  places  near  the 
ropes,  and  the  crowd  on  horseback  disperse  from  the  post. 
As  soon  as  the  horses  are  past,  all  the  men  follow  them 
to  the  rubbing-house  to  see  them  rubbed  down,  and 
their  clothes  put  on.  These  rubbing-houses,  stables,  &c. 
&c.,  are  little  insignificant  buildings,  which  occupy  no 
space  and  take  off  nothing  from  the  extreme  bareness  of 
the  Heath.  Stand  there  is  none.  The  ladies  are  all  in 
their  carriages.  There  were  more  than  I  expected  to 
see  there.  The  fashionable  custom  at  Newmarket  is,  to 
have  the  plainest  carriage  and  liveries  possible,  and  the 
gentlemen  all  to  be  mounted  upon  shabby-looking  rips  of 
horses.  The  races  were  over  between  three  and  four, 
and  we  returned  to  Wimpole  much  pleased  with  our  day. 
Wednesday,  2bth. — Another  beautiful  day.  At  eleven 
o'clock  the  country  people  of  the  two  neighbouring 
parishes  of  Wimpole  and  Arlington  came  trooping  across 
the  park  to  the  kitchen-door  to  receive  the  portions  of 
beef,  mutton,  cold  baked  meat  pies,  bread  and  ale,  which 
Lord  Hardwicke  gave  to  every  family  upon  occasion  of 
the  day,  the  king  having  reigned  fifty  years,  which  very 
unwisely  Government  chose  to  make  a  jubilee.  A  jubilee ! 
in  the  present  situation  of  the  country,  both  externally 
and  internally  !  Lord  and  Lady  Hardwicke  had  intended 
that  all  the  peasants  should  have  been  feasted  together 


400  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isog 

before  the  house,  for  as  every  person  was  to  do  something 
to  celebrate  this  sad  jubilee,  it  would  have  been  very 
wrong,  thinking,  as  he  does,  of  the  Ministry  to  have  been 
behindhand.  The  report  of  the  Princess  Amelia's  death 
made  them  change  this  intended  festival  for  the  distri- 
bution above  mentioned.  It  was  done  in  the  most  regular 
manner.  The  cook  having  made  allotments  of  the  bread 
and  meat,  according  to  the  numbers  in  the  family,  one 
from,  every  family  came  up,  and  received  not  only  enough 
to  give  one  hearty  meal,  but  enough  to  essentially  better 
the  diet  of  the  moderate  ones  all  the  week.  The  Lady 
Yorkes  and  I  were  on  the  lawn  before  the  door,  seeing 
the  people  coming  and  going  with  their  portions,  and 
their  cans  and  pitchers,  and  pails  of  ale.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  people  in  general  was  comfortable,  though 
some  very  ragged  and  dirty.  It  was  curious  to  ob- 
serve the  great  and  decided  difference  of  industry  and 
sobriety  in  exactly  the  same  situation  in  life,  some  labourers 
with  wife  and  two  children  upon  twelve  shillings  a  week, 
perfectly  tidy,  and,  though  darned  and  patched,  clean  and 
comfortable  ;  others,  on  the  same  wages,  hanging  in  dirty 
tatters.  By  one  o'clock  it  was  all  over,  and  the  people 
enjoying  the  bounty  at  their  own  fireside.  In  the  even- 
ing there  was  a  supper  in  the  kitchen  for  all  the  workmen 
employed  about  the  house ;  and  in  the  housekeeper's 
room,  for  the  bailiffs,  gardener,  their  wives,  &c.  &c. 

Friday,  Zlth. — Waked  at  last  free  from  fever,  and  with 
a  feel  of  health  which  I  have  not  experienced  for  these  ten 
days  past.  The  weather  a  positive  summer  day.  Drove 
with  the  Lady  Yorkes  to  two  villages.  In  the  first,  Harleton 
(called  Alston),  is  a  pretty  old  church  with  handsome  win- 
dows and  an  old  little  tower,  besides  the  great  tower,  of 
which  the  use  is  not  apparent.  A  very  good  monument  in 
this  church  of  the  family  of  Fryer,  in  Charles  I.'s  time,  con- 
taining three  large  kneeling  figures  and  one  cumbent,  all 
well  carved  in  alabaster  and  coloured,  the  whole  within 


1809]  THEODORE   BEZA.  401 

an  arch,  supported  by  two  posts  of  caryatides,  and  in 
perfect  preservation.  At  the  other  village,  Haslingfield, 
we  went  over  the  old  manor  house,  for  the  last  sixty 
years  inhabited  by  farmers,  but  which  had  been  the  manor 
house  of  the  Wendys,  a  family  extinct  in  the  male  line  in 
1637;  there  are  several  good  monuments  of  them  in  the 
church,  especially  of  the  last  of  the  family,  a  Knight  of 
the  Bath,  in  the  dress  of  Louis  XTV.'s  time.  The  manor 
house  was  surrounded  by  a  moat.  There  is  a  date  cut 
on  stone  in  one  of  the  chimney-pieces  of  1555,  which 
belongs  to  Queen  Mary's  time. 

Friday,  November  3rd. — The  Lady  Yorkes  and  I  drove 
in  the  jaunting  car  down  the  avenue,  two  miles  and  a  half 
long.  Never  was  there  such  an  unmeaning  avenue ;  it 
ends  in  nothing,  not  even  in  a  gateway,  for  the  entrance  to 
it  from  the  road  is  on  the  side.  The  trees,  of  which  there 
are  two  rows  on  each  side,  and  between  which  is  the  road, 
are  none  of  them  good,  though  planted  in  the  days  of  Lord 
Oxford,  and  half  way  down  is  a  round  piece  of  water 
(five  acres),  which  can  only  be  perceived  from  the  garrets 
of  the  house  as  the  ground  rises  between.  It  is  no  longer 
used  as  the  approach  to  the  house,  and  is  separated  into 
fields  by  hurdles  and  gates. 

Saturday,  kth. — Went  with  Lord  Hardwicke  and  his 
daughter  to  Cambridge.  Stopped  at  the  public  library, 
a  separate  building  between  the  schools  and  the  Senate 
House,  contains  about  100,000  vols.,  rich  (they  say)  in 
Bibles — not  so,  I  think,  in  early  printed  books — the  first 
in  1460,  but  there  are  few  of  them  very  perfect,  and 
in  fine  condition.  The  oldest  MS.  of  the  fourth  century, 
given  by  Theodore  Beza,*  '  The  Four  Evangelists.'  Some 


*  Theo.  Bezas,  or  de  Beses,  born  1519,  in  Nivernois,  of  considerable  emi- 
nence as  a  writer.  At  the  instigation  of  Calvin,  he  continued  the  version  of 
the  Psalms  in  French,  begun  by  Calvin ;  and  in  1659  a  Latin  version  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  was  the  author  of  many  other  works.  lie  was  a  dis- 
tinguished advocate  of  the  Protestant  faith.  Died  at  Geneva  1005,  aged  87. 
VOL.  II.  D  D 


402  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso9 

good  prints,  fine  impressions  of  Eembrandt,  but  not  a 
complete  set.  The  library  of  Trinity,  a  fine  large  room, 
with  a  hideous  modern-painted  window,  contains  about 
30,000  vols.,  with  a  small  fund  for  buying  more ;  but  all 
these  libraries  are  without  fireplaces  or  any  means  of 
warming  them,  and  seem  but  inconvenient  places  for  real 
study,  without  paper,  pens  or  ink,  or  anybody  to  look  for 
the  books  wanted.  Masters  of  Arts  are  allowed  to  take 
any  they  may  want  to  their  own  rooms,  or  even  out  of 
Cambridge.  In  this  library  is  a  very  curious  dried  man, 
from  the  cave  in  the  Island  of  Tenerifie,  which  has  the 
property  of  thus  drying  up  the  human  body.  It  is  in  a 
glass  case  ;  the  skin  appears  completely  tanned  upon  the 
bones,  the  hair  is  still  on  the  head,  and  the  teeth  in  the 
jaws. 

Monday,  6th. — Eeturned  to  North  Audley  Street. 

Letter  to  Joanna  Baillie. 

Wimpole,  Nov.,  1809. 

Mr  DEAR  JOANNA, — What  are  you  doing  ?  and  where  are  you 
doing  ?  Troth,  say  you,  if  you  had  wanted  to  know,  you  would 
have  enquired  sooner ;  and  troth,  if  I  had  been  doing  better 
myself,  so  I  should,  answer  I. 

I  have  been  here  a  month  with  people  that  I  love,  in  a  com- 
fortable family-circle,  surrounded  by  every  comfort  and  every 
luxury  of  life,  and  sitting  in  a  library — such  a  library !  as 
would — 

Make  those  read  now,  who  never  read  before  ; 
And  those  who  always  read,  now  read  the  more. 

Yet  even  thus  situated,  with  the  perfect  command  of  my 
own  time  and  nothing  to  fatigue  me ;  if  I  were  to  tell  you  how 
little  use  I  have  been  able  to  make  of  all  these  advantages ; 
if  I  were  to  reckon  up  how  many  days  in  this  month  I  have 
enjoyed  the  free  and  unembarrassed  use  of  my  own  faculties ;  I 
should  make  you,  as  well  as  myself,  melancholy,  and  therefore, 
as  this  is  a  good  day  with  me,  I  will  say  no  more  about  it. 


1809]  MR.    ORME,   THE   PUBLISHER.  403 

My  last  and  only  letter  from  you  was  on  the  8th,  from 
Cotswold.  You  had  been  seeing  Oxford,  which  I  was  delighted 
to  find  had  impressed  your  mind,  exactly  as  it  had  always  done 
mine.  During  my  stay  here  I  have  been  to  Cambridge,  which 
I  had  seen  in  a  slight  manner  so  long  ago  as  to  have  almost 
entirely  forgotten.  It  cannot  vie  with  the  magnificent  groups 
of  Oxford.  But  it  has  one  College  which  may  rival,  if  not 
surpass,  Christ  Church  in  picturesque  beauty,  and  one  point  of 
view  in  which  it  appears  singularly  adapted  for  the  seat  of  calm 
contemplation  and  learned  ease.  I  fear  the  evil-minded  will 
say,  the  calm  is  often  unaccompanied  by  contemplation,  and 
the  ease  unaccompanied  by  learning.  Still  I  must  ever  love  to 
see  such  great  means  brought  together,  and  such  assistance 
offered  to  both,  and  must  ever  feel  a  degree  of  exaltation  of 
mind  in  places  dedicated  for  so  many  centuries  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  noblest  and  most  distinguished  faculty  of  human 
nature ;  perhaps,  too,  a  little  spark  of  sexual  vanity  creeps  in 
with  the  wonder  one  cannot  help  feeling  at  men  enjoying  such 
advantages  and  doing  so  little,  and  women  labouring  under 
such  disadvantages  doing  so  much.  This,  my  dear  Joanna, 
regards  you  more  than  any  other  female  now  living.  Go  on 
then  and  prove  to  them,  that  poetry,  at  least,  is  as  independent 
of  sex  as  of  rule ;  that  it  is  a  spark  of  ethereal  fire  kindled  on 
earth  once  in  an  Age,  which  Shakspeare  alone  has  described, 
and  with  which  you  are  enlightened. 

M.  B. 

To  Joanna  Baillie,  from  Wimpole,  Nov.,  1809. 

Sunday,  \§th. — Looked  over  all  the  three  vols.  of 
Madame  du  Deffand's  letters,  published  at  Paris,  which  I 
got  yesterday ;  sketched  the  little  alteration  necessary  to 
be  made  in  my  preface  and  life. 

Monday,  2Qth. — In  the  evening  Charles  Stuart  (Bute) 
sat  with  me  till  twelve  o'clock.  We  talked  over  politics, 
on  which,  particularly  foreign  ones,  he  is  better  informed 
than  anybody,  has  seen  more,  and  judges  better. 

Wednesday,  22nd. — Saw  Mr.  Orme,  Longman's  partner, 
with  whom  I  settled  several  particulars  about  my  publi- 
cation. 

D  D  2 


404  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [iso9 

Thursday,  23rd. — Worked  hard  at  my  'Life,',  and  the 
arrangement  of  the  notices  to  be  taken  of  the  Paris  pub- 
lication. 

Saturday,  2oth. — I  spent  the  whole  day  in  my  garden 
and  greenhouse,  completely  enjoying  myself  and  forgetting 
everything  but  the  pots  I  was  arranging  and  the  roots  I 
was  transplanting,  my  mind  in  repose  and  my  body  in 
activity  ;  but  I  never  regret  a  day  like  this. 

Wednesday,  29th. — In  the  morning  saw  J.  Baillie,  after- 
wards worked  at  my  Letters.  Before  ten  set  out  for 
Kensington.  When  we  arrived  the  Princess  had  not  come 
out  of  the  dining-room.  In  about  ten  minutes  she  ap- 
peared with  Lady  Charlotte,  and  no  other  ladies.  Her 
manner  very  gracious  and  civil ;  announced  her  appoint- 
ment of  Lady  Charlotte  Campbell  to  us  as  her  Lady  of  the 
Bedchamber,  in  place  of  Lady  Sheffield.  The  gentlemen 
soon  followed  her  from  the  dining-room  ;  they  were  Lord 
Henry  Fitzgerald,  Mr.  Ward,*  Mr.  Gell,  Mr.  de  Puysegur, 
and  Colonel  Lindsay.  The  only  break  in  conversation 
was  looking  at  Colonel  Lindsay's  model  of  a  new  sort  of 
telegraph.  At  twelve  we  supped  in  her  own  little  morn- 
ing room,  looking  full  of  litter,  and  very  comfortable. 
Conversation  flagged  a  little ;  however,  the  Princess  sat 
until  half-past  one,  then  rose,  wished  us  a  good  night, 
and  we  were  at  home  before  two. 

Monday,  December  ±th. — A  long  visit  from  Stuart. 
Advised  him  to  go  into  Parliament,  where  his  great  know- 
ledge of  foreign  affairs  is  so  much  wanted.  He  does  not 
wish  and  has  no  thought  of  it  from  feeling  no  talent  for 
public  speaking,  and  thinking  (falsely,  I  think)  that  it 
would  take  him  away  from  his  profession,  which  he 
likes. 

Tuesday,  bth. — A  long  talk  with  Mr.  Orme  (Longman's 
partner)  about  the  printing,  the  quantity,  and  the  form 

*  Hon.  John  William  Ward,  afterwards  Lord  Dudley  and  Ward. 


1809]  ASSEMBLY  AT  THE   PRINCESS   OP  WALES'S.  405 

of  the  French  Letters.  Soon  after,  a  long  visit  from  my 
bishop,  with  his  notes  to  another  cahier  of  the  said  Letters. 
Eead  to  him  my  additions  to  the  '  Life,'  &c.  &c.  Inter- 
rupted by  the  arrival  of  Lord  Hartington,  to  whom  I  had 
promised  to  be  at  home.  His  happiness  at  his  sister's  * 
marriage  quite  charming. 

Saturday,  $th. — Dined  with  the  Princess  of  Wales  at 
Kensington  at  seven  o'clock.  Company,  only  Lord  Henry 
Fitzgerald,  Mr.  Gell,  ourselves,  and  Mrs.  Lisle,  in  waiting. 
Mrs.  Lisle  a  sad  aid  to  the  Princess  in  entertaining  her 
company,  not  having  a  word  to  throw  at  a  dog — but  the 
Princess  wants  no  aid.  Dinner  went  off  very  well ; 
servants  sent  away  and  dumb  waiters.  Dinner  and  dessert 
good,  but  plain,  served  upon  the  magnificent  plate  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales.  In  the  evening,  nobody  else  came. 
The  Princess  talked  of  the  apartments  above  stairs,  and 
proposed  our  looking  at  them.  Luckily  not  a  very  cold 
night.  We  all  wrapped  up,  and,  taking  two  candles  only 
with  us,  sallied  up-stairs.  The  royal  apartment  very 
handsome,  both  in  size  and  fittings  up ;  furniture,  properly 
speaking,  there  is  at  present  none.  In  the  first  room, 
some  of  the  finest  cork  models  I  have  ever  seen,  of  all 
the  principal  ruins  of  Eome,  and  in  all  the  rooms  very 
fine  pictures,  as  far  as  we  could  judge  by  the  light  of  our 
two  glimmering  candles,  carried  in  different  hands.  Supper 
on  the  table  when  we  came  down,  and  nearly  one  before 
we  got  away. 

Monday,  ll^A. — At  home  ah1  the  morning.  In  the 
evening,  at  ten  o'clock,  we  went  to  the  Princess  of  Wales'. 
Meant  to  be  an  assembly.  Princess  Sophia  of  Gloucester 
there.  Some  eight  or  ten  old  women  and  Lady  Harrowby, 
Lady  Shaftesbury  and  her  daughter,  Mrs.  C.  Locke  and 
the  two  Churchill  girls.  The  only  men  Lord  Westmore- 


*  Lady  Harriet  Cavendish  to  Lord  Granville  Leveson  Gower,  afterwards 
Earl  Granville. 


MISS   BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1809 

land,  Mr.  Manners  Button,  Lord  H.  Fitzgerald,  and  the 
two  Churchills,  father  and  son.  Much  later  came  Mr. 
Edward  Montague  *  and  Delme.  Princess  played  at  a 
round  table  with  Princess  Sophia,  &c.  &c.  Delme  and 
Lady  Barbara,  Mrs.  Locke,  and  the  Churchill  girls  danced 
reels,  &c.,  in  the  saloon.  The  table  dejeu  in  the  dining- 
room. 

Monday,  18th. — Busy  all  the  morning.  Saw  Mercier, 
the  printer,  and  gave  him  the  first  two  years  of  the  Letters 
to  print. 

Tuesday  ^  \$th. — Went  to  Co  vent  Garden.  In  Prince 
Staremberg's  box.  This  was  the  first  night  of  the 
theatre's  being  quiet  after  the  late  disturbances.  Between 
the  play  and  farce  one  man  in  the  pit  produced  a  placard, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  restore  Brandon,  and  he  was 
supported  by  a  man  who  spoke  from  the  upper  boxes  ; 
but  both  their  voices  were  soon  overpowered,  and  all  was 
perfectly  quiet  again.  The  house  full.  Play,  '  Merchant 
of  Venice,'  abominably  acted,  except  Charles  Keinble, 
who  did  Bassanio  well. 

Wednesday.,  2Qth. — Out  in  the  morning  in  the  carriage. 
Great  crowd  in  St.  James's  Park,  seeing  the  first  audi- 
ence of  the  Persian  ambassador  at  the  Queen's  house. 

Sunday,  24:th. — Lady  Harriet  Cavendish  married  this 
evening  at  Chiswick.  Quodfelix  faustemque  sit ! 

The  following  thoughts  on  language,  and  the  melancholy 
reflections  on  time  gliding  on,  belong  to  this  year  : — 

On  Language. 

Oct.  30,  1809. 

Mitford,  in  his  '  Enquiry  into  the  Principles  of  Harmony  in 
Language,'  decidedly  advises  adopting  the  Italian  mode  of  pro- 
nouncing Latin,  and  the  Athenian  mode  of  pronouncing  Greek, 
as  that  most  nearly  approximating  the  ancient  mode,  and  most 

'•*  Son  of  Mathew  Montague,  Esq.,  afterwards  Lord  Rokeby. 


1809]  THOUGHTS   OX   LANGUAGE.  407 

likely  to  make  us  sensible  of  the  harmony  of  their  verses.  (See 
page  270  et  passim.) 

He  notices  the  marvellous  critical  and  grammatical  learning 
of  the  modern  Greeks  in  their  ancient  language,  which  has 
been  uninterruptedly  cultivated  and  taught  to  all  persons  pre- 
tending to  education,  ever  since  it  was  actually  the  common 
language  of  the  people.  (See  page  276.) 

In  confirmation  of  what  he  says  as  to  the  acuteness  of  the 
modern  Greeks  in  those  perceptions  of  meaning,  independent  of 
reasoning,  I  remember  with  astonishment  the  depth  and  meta- 
physical niceties  of  a  certain  Petrarchi,  a  modern  Greek,  who 
gave  me  in  some  months'  teaching,  the  few,  and  now  almost 
forgotten,  ideas  I  ever  had  of  that  exquisite  language. 

This  Petrarchi  was,  in  all  other  respects,  a  singularly  slow, 
dull,  stupid  man,  holding  in  contempt  all  other  languages  and 
their  literature,  and  above  all  others  the  Latin,  to  which  he 
never  would  allow  my  ignorance  to  help  itself  with  an  allusion 
or  a  reference.  But  in  reply  to  my  enquiries  as  to  the  use  of 
the  different  parts  of  the  Greek  verb,  what  wonderful  and  pro- 
found application  of  the  action  of  the  mind  in  thought,  or  the 
powers  it  meant  to  express !  What  nice  disquisition  of  the 
different  tenses  !  What  feeling,  imperceptible  to  others,  of  the 
exact  measure  of  passion,  or  of  action  expressed  by  those 
tenses  in  which  no  English  scholar,  no  Porson,  no  Parr,  no 
Knight,  could  follow  him,  and  in  which,  to  say  the  truth,  I 
much  doubt  if  the  organs  of  perception  of  a  northern  people, 
either  of  mind  or  body,  would  ever  have  allowed  them  to  be 
sensible ! 

Time  gliding  on. 

The  stream  of  time  seems  now  to  carry  me  along  so  rapidly, 
that  I  already  approach  the  brink  of  the  great  ocean  of  eternity 
into  which  that  stream  is  hurrying  to  lose  itself.  I  feel  so  near 
disappearing  with  it,  that  I  would  fain  catch  at  some  idle  weeds 
as  my  bark  glides  by,  to  mark  my  passage. 

How  heartily  do  I  and  my  fireside  shake  hands,  when  we 
meet  alone  at  night  after  an  evening  passed  in  any  sort  of  com- 
pany ;  for  alas !  however  agreeable  that  company  may  be,  to 
have  been  in  it,  is  now,  to  me,  much  more  enjoyable  than  being 


408  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1309 

in  it.  Solitude  broken  by  a  book,  and  reverie  when  I  can  in- 
dulge in  it,  are  very  real  enjoyments.  The  rest  is  merely 
desirable  to  give  a  zest  to  these.  And  so  life  glides  by  me ! 
I  no  longer  make  an  attempt  to  mark  its  course,  and  aware  of 
the  extreme  rapidity  with  which  it  passes,  feel  the  consolation 
of  knowing  that  I  shall  not  long  be  oppressed,  even  by  the 
painful  sense  of  my  own  insignificance. 


1810]  VISIT   TO   THE   PRINCESS   OF   WALES.  409 


JOUKNAL. 
1810. 

January  ±th. — In  the  evening,  Mrs.  D.  and  Mr.  Stuart, 
whose  conversation  was  most  entertaining  on  the  history 
of  Spain.  His  information,  clearness,  memory,  and  judg- 
ment on  matters  of  history  are  quite  admirable. 

Sunday,  1th — At  ten  o'clock  went  to  the  Princess  of 
Wales ;  Princess  Sophia  of  Gloucester  there.  C'est  tout 
dire  as  to  the  dulness  of  the  party.  The  Princess  knows 
not  what  to  say  to  her,  nor  she  to  the  Princess,  who  at 
the  same  time  cannot  indulge  in  her  usual  flights  and  con- 
versation. The  only  women  were  (besides  Mrs.  Lisle  and 
Lady  Carnarvon  in  waiting)  Duchess  of  Leeds,*  Lady  De 
Eos,f  Mrs.  C.  Lock,  and  ourselves  ;  the  men — Lord  Grey, 
Brougham,  Lord  W.  Somerset,  and  half  a  score  more 
young  ones,  who  could  have  not  thought  it  royal  sport 
The  Princess  asked  us  to  stay  supper,  but  not  being  well 
I  got  off. 

Monday,  8th. — Waked,  feeling  well — a  feeling  for  which 
no  creature  that  walks  this  suffering  earth  can  be  more 
thankful  nor  more  prone  to  enjoy  than  myself.  Worked 
hard  at  my  Letters  all  the  morning. 

Thursday,  llth. — Went  to  Strawberry.  Walked  over 
to  Little  Strawberry  :  found  everything  out  of  doors  in 
excellent  winter  order  and  looking  quite  pretty ;  but  every- 
thing at  Twickenham  now  wears,  to  me,  a  melancholy 

*  Catherine,  daughter  of  Thomas  Anguish,  Esq.,  widow  of  Francis 
Godolphin,  fifth  Duke  of  Leeds  ;  married  1788 ;  died  1837. 

t  Charlotte  Fitzgerald  Baroness  de  Ros,  daughter  and  heir  of  the  Hon. 
Rohert  Boyle  Walsingham.  wife  of  Lord  Henry  Fitzgerald;  died  1831. 


410  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

aspect  :  its  charms  are  no  longer  for  me.  Well,  this, 
however,  is  not  a  real  evil :  the  mind,  if  otherwise  un- 
encumbered, will  get  the  better  of  these  feelings,  and  turn 
to  other  sources  of  amusement  or  occupation ;  while  the 
memory  of  Twickenham  will  perhaps  afford  more  un- 
alloyed pleasure  than  its  actual  possession. 

Of  the  publication  of  Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters  at 
Paris,  to  which  Professor  Playfair  alludes,  Miss  Berry 
gives  the  following  account,  in  her  preface  to  the  work 
she  edited : — 

'  Madame  du  Deffand  bequeathed  to  Mr.  Walpole  the 
whole  of  her  MSS.  papers,  letters,  and  books  of  every 
description,  with  a  permission  to  the  Prince  de  Beauvau 
to  take  a  copy  of  any  of  the  papers  he  might  desire, 
before  he  conveyed  them  to  Mr.  Walpole.  This  per- 
mission Mr.  Walpole  suspected  he  had  extended  to  the 
substraction  of  some  of  the  original  papers.' 

'  To  this  permission,'  Miss  Berry  adds  in  a  note,  '  was 
probably  owing  the  publication  of  three  volumes  of 
Madame  du  Deffand's  Correspondence,  which  lately  ap- 
peared at  Paris ;  the  originals  of  almost  all  of  which  are 
in  the  Editor's  possession.' 

JOUENAL. 

Saturday,  I3th. — Worked  at  my  French  Letters  all 
morning  ;  at  five  o'clock  set  off  for  Chiswick. 

Sunday,  14#A. — Sat  with  the  Duchess  and  Lady  Geor- 
giana  :  an  interesting  conversation,  in  which  her  excellent 
heart  and  plain  unaffected  good  sense  shone  forth. 

Sunday,  21st. — Went  to  dinner  at  Kensington.  Not  one 
of  the  intended  party  but  ourselves  could  come  :  instead, 
we  had  Lyttelton,  Douglas,  Kinnaird,*  Sir  Eobert  Wilson, f 

*  Brother  to  the  late  Lord  Kinnaird,  banker  in  Westminster ;  died  1830. 

t  General  Sir  Robert  Wilson  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  Wilson,  the 
painter,  born  1777.  He  was  engaged  in  active  service  in  the  army  from 
1793  to  1812,  and  was  then  appointed  British  Commissioner  at  the  head- 


1810]  LADY    HARRIET   LEYESON   GOWER.  411 

Lord  H.  Fitz-Gerald,  and  ourselves — Lyttelton  always  a 
host  of  spirits  and  conversation  ;  the  party  by  no  means 
dull.  Supper  ordered  at  half-past  eleven  ;  we  caine  away 
at  one. 

Wednesday,  3Ist. — Called  on  Lady  Harriet,*  whom  I 
saw  for  the  first  time  in  her  own  house :  it  is  beautifully 
fitted  up  in  real  comfort  and  much  good  taste. 

The  following  letter  from  Professor  Playfair  belongs  to 
this  period : — 

Edinburgh,  llth  January,  1810. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — I  long  very  much  to  hear  how  you  are 
and  what  you  are  doing,  and  must  entreat  that  you  will  have 
the  goodness  to  tell  me  as  soon  as  you  conveniently  can.  A 
publication  which  I  have  just  seen  gives  me  a  good  deal  of 
solicitude,  as  I  know  not  how  far  it  may  interfere  with  your 
intentions.  I  mean  the  letters  of  Madame  du  Deffand,  just 
published  at  Paris,  containing  letters  of  D'Alembert,  Mon- 
tesquieu, Renault,  &c.  You  have  no  doubt  seen  it ;  many  of 
the  letters  are  extremely  interesting,  and  some  of  them,  I  think, 
can  hardly  fail  to  be  the  same  that  are  in  your  collection.  I 
feel  very  much  interested  to  know  how  this  matter  stands. 

I  suppose  you  are  now  in  town  enfamille.  Much  interesting 
discussion  about  public  affairs  must  soon  take  place.  What 
think  you  is  to  be  the  result  ?  Will  the  inertness  and  apathy  of 
the  public  prevail  over  all  other  considerations,  and  support  an 
administration  unparalleled  for  ignorance  and  weakness :  or  is 
the  nation  to  be  at  length  roused  to  a  sense  of  its  danger  ? 

I  shall  write  to  Mrs.  Howe  in  a  day  or  two,  and  send  her 
some  problems. 

JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 

P.S. — Lord  W.  Seymour,  in  whom  I  know  you  to  take  an 
interest,  is  now  here ;  he  is  much  better,  but  I  think  has  not 
recovered  his  former  strength  or  activity. 

quarters  of  the  allied  armies.  In  1816  he  was  concerned  in  the  escape  of 
Lafayette.  His  conduct  at  the  funeral  of  Queen  Caroline  led  to  his  dismis- 
sal from  the  army  in  1821,  but  he  was  reinstated  in  1825.  From  1818  to 
1831  he  was  M.P.  for  South wark;  from  1842  to  1849  Governor  of  Gibraltar; 
died  in  London,  1849.  He  was  a  writer  of  several  interesting  works  on 
military  subjects. 

*  Lady  Harriet  Leveson  Gower* 


412  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

Tuesday,  February  13^. — At  home  all  the  morning, 
working  at  my  Letters. 

Friday,  ~\.6th. — In  the  evening  we  went  at  half-past  ten 
to  Lady  Cholmondeley's.  A  great  assembly,  with  the 
Persian  Ambassador. 

Friday,  2 3rd. — Went  to  the  play ;  in  Mrs.  Kemble's 
box.  '  The  Free  Knights,'  and  '  The  Budget  of  Blunders.' 
The  first  a  sort  of  Sadlers  Wells  pantomime,  but  interest- 
ing, and  Young's  acting  admirable.  'The  Budget  of 
Blunders '  all  old  blunders,  but  laughable  from  being  well 
acted.  Got  the  first  proof  from  Juigne,  the  new  printer. 

Wednesday,  28th. — Finest  spring  day  that  ever  was  felt, 
which  was  lucky,  for  it  was  the  fast  day  appointed,  and 
consequently  a  day  of  feasting  and  rejoicing  to  all  the 
lower  orders  of  people.  After  church,  Agnes  and  I 
walked  in  Hyde  Park.  In  my  life  I  never  saw  it  so  full 
of  walkers. 

Saturday,  March  3rd. — I  dined  at  Lord  Ellenborough's. 
Company  almost  the  whole  of  the  former  ministry :  Lord 
and  Lady  Grey,  Lord  and  Lady  Lansdowne,  Lord  Gren- 
ville,  Mr.  Thomas  Grenville,  Lord  John  Townshend,  Lord 
Holland,  Duke  of  Norfolk,  Lord  Hartington,  and  Lord 
Ellenborough  ;  himself  the  greatest  speaker. 

Sunday,  kth. — At  one  o'clock  went  with  Mrs.  D.  to  Mr. 
Hoper's,  to  stand  godmother,  with  her,  to  his  little  girl. 
Clergyman  kept  us  waiting  till  near  three,  from  the  num- 
ber of  communicants  there  had  been  at  St.  James's  Church 
— above  300  ;  this  accounted  for  by  the  number  of  people 
obliged  to  qualify,  as  it  is  called,  for  offices,  and  commonly 
doing  so  at  this  church.  In  the  evening  a  party  at  home, 
which  turned  out  more  numerous  than  we  expected,  for 
we  had  forty-three  people. 

Sunday,  \Sth. — Went  at  half-past  eleven  to  Kensington 
Chapel,  to  hear  Sydney  Smith  preach.*  The  sermon  upon 

*  The  Rev.  Sydney  Smith,  born  1771,  died  1845.    He  was  one  of  the 


1810]  REV.   SYDNEY   SMITH.  413 

'  Toleration  ; '  very  excellent  in  its  general  principles,  and 
in  the  light  in  which  Christianity  ought  to  be  considered. 

Saturday,  31st. — Mr.  Sydney  Smith  with  rne  in  the 
morning,  looking  critically  over  my  Preface  and  Life. 
Much  mended  by  his  observations,  upon  which  I  am  to 
work,  and  I  set  to  it  as  soon  as  he  was  gone. 

Tuesday,  April  3rd. — Lord  Aberdeen,  the  two  ladies, 
and  myself,  went  to  their  box  at  Covent  Garden.  The 
play,  '  The  Beggars'  Opera,'  not  only  most  execrably  sung 
and  acted,  but  the  best  parts  cut  out ;  but  whether  from 
carelessness  or  propriety  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know. 

Wednesday,  4th. — In  the  morning  called  on  J.  Baillie, 
to  whom  I  gave  a  good  lesson,  which  she  will  not  profit 
by.  Sat  a  long  time  with  Mrs.  Hope;  always  good- 
humoured  and  unaffected.  Hope  and  she  the  image  of 
domestic  comfort  and  good  understanding. 

Thursday,  5th. — Lady  Ellenborough  called  for  me  to 
go  to  Mrs.  Hope's.  An  enormous  assembly ;  the  whole 
house  open,  and  the  Princess  of  Wales  there.  Very  civil 
to  me,  although  I  had  excuses  to  make.  All  the  men  at 
the  House  of  Commons,  which  sat  till  half-past  seven 
o'clock,  and  voted  the  commitment  of  Sir  F.  Burdett  to 
the  Tower. 

Friday,  6th. — Went  at  eleven  o'clock  to  Brook  Street, 
to  Mrs.  Bouverie's.  Found  the  whole  of  Berkeley  Square 
and  Bruton  Street  illuminated ;  several  windows  having 

three  or  four  literary  friends  who  first  started  the  '  Edinburgh  Review.'  His 
eminence  as  a  writer  upon  various  subjects  was  great.  His  kindness  and 
charity  were  a  blessing  to  the  poor  by  whom  he  was  surrounded;  his  warmth 
of  heart,  the  clearness  and  depth  of  his  understanding,  and  his  brilliant  conver- 
sation, made  him  the  most  genial  of  social  companions,  the  most  cherished 
guest  of  every  society  he  entered.  His  abounding  wit  and  playful  humour 
were  always  founded  on  good  sense  and  on  practical  wisdom,  and  he  was  often 
apparently  so  amused  himself  with  the  comic  combinations  that  sprang  from 
these  sober  foundations,  that,  as  the  bright  thoughts  came  bubbling  forth 
in  words,  he  enhanced  the  amusement  of  others,  by  his  own  frank  mirth. 
To  have  enjoyed  the  society  of  Mr.  Sydney  Smith  must  be  regarded  as  a 
privilege  never  to  be  forgotten,  but  stored  with  other  memories  of  departed 
joys. 


414  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

been  broken.  On  my  return  to  North  Audley  Street, 
between  twelve  and  one  o'clock,  every  house  in  Grosvenor 
Square  likewise  illuminated,  and  a  few  boys  and  rabble 
at  the  corners  of  some  of  the  streets,  calling  '  Hats  off,' 
and  '  Burdett  for  ever.'  All  quiet  in  North  Audley  Street, 
and  no  lighting.  Sir  F.  B.  not  gone  to  the  Tower,  and 
resisting  the  order.* 

Saturday,  1th. — Soon  after  two  o'clock  went  out  with 
Agnes.  Drove  down  Berkeley  Street  into  Piccadilly,  and 
passed  Sir  F.  B.'s  house  twice.  The  Horse  Guards  were 
now  patrolling  before  it,  and  the  people,  and  for  the  far 
greater  part  very  decent  people,  in  peletons  only  in  the 
street.  From  Piccadilly  we  went  to  St.  James's  Square, 
and  passed  Lord  Castlereagh's  house,  in  which  there  was 
not  a  pane  left,  and  one  or  two  of  the  lower  window 
frames  broken  in.  The  window  shutters  were  all  shut, 
and  many  people  looking  at  it.  After  sitting  some  time 
with  Lady  Hardwicke  we  came  again  into  Piccadilly,  but 
the  crowd  had  become  so  great,  both  of  carriages  and 
people,  that  we  turned  up  Dover  Street.  No  passage  was 
now  allowed  by  the  Horse  Guards  up  Berkeley  Street, 
and  the  people  were  crowding  down  to  Piccadilly  in 
every  direction,  and  every  window  and  the  tops  of  the 
houses  crowded  with  people,  in  expectation  of  seeing  him 
pass  to  the  Tower.  But  his  resistance  continued  obstinate, 
and  the  Government,  with  a  folly,  improvidence,  and 
weakness  worthy  of  them,  had  never  supposed  resistance 


*  Veneris,  6°  die  Aprilis,  1810. — "Whereas  the  House  of  Commons  has 
this  day  adjudged  that  Sir  Francis  Burdett,  Bart.,  who  has  admitted  that 
a  letter,  signed  'Francis  Burdett,'  and  further  part  of  a  paper  entitled 
'  Argument,'  in  Cobbetfs  Weekly  Register,  of  March  24,  1810,  was  printed 
by  his  authority  (which  letter  and  argument  the  said  House  has  resolved  to 
be  a  libellous  and  scandalous  pap^r,  reflecting  on  the  just  rights  and  privi- 
leges of  the  said  House),  has  been  thereby  guilty  of  a  breach  of  the  privi- 
leges of  the  said  House.  The  House  of  Commons  hath  thereupon  ordered 
that  the  said  Sir  Francis  Burdett,  for  his  said  offence,  be  committed  to  His 
Majesty's  Tower  of  London. 


1810]  ARKEST    OF   SIR   F.    BURDETT.  415 

possible,  and  were  totally  at  a  loss  how  to  meet  it.  The 
whole  of  Saturday  the  people  again  pelted  everybody  in 
Piccadilly,  and  in  the  evening,  in  various  parts  of  the 
town,  betrayed  a  disposition  to  rioting,  and  to  insisting 
upon  lights ;  why,  or  wherefore,  neither  themselves  nor 
any  mortal  could  tell.  Our  street  and  all  above  it  re- 
mained quite  quiet.  At  half-past  nine  we  went  to  Lord 
Dunmore's.  Here  we  sat  till  past  eleven,  when  I  went  to 
Bruton  Street,  where  I  found  them  again  illuminated, 
though  all  was  quiet;  and  in  Grosvenor  and  Berkeley 
Squares  detachments  both  of  Light  Horse  (the  13th)  and 
Foot  Guards,  and  three  pieces  of  artillery  were  stationed 
— in  the  south  corner  of  Grosvenor  Square  and  the  north 
of  Berkeley  Square.  Everybody  saying  that  now  it  was 
impossible  Sir  F.  B.  could  be  touched  till  after  Monday, 
when  the  House  would  meet  and  come  to  a  decision. 

Sunday,  8th. — Saw  Mr.  Hatchet,  who  lives  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Clarges  Street ;  he  reported  Piccadilly  to  be  full  of 
people,  but  free  from  outrage,  owing  to  the  presence  of 
the  Horse  Guards  ;  the  people,  however,  getting  into  the 
Green  Park,  had  pelted  them  through  the  iron  rails,  upon 
•which  a  troop  was  dismounted  and  marched  by  with  their 
bayonets  fixed  on  their  carabines,  through  the  little  gate 
into  the  Green  Park,  and  driving  the  people  without  mis- 
chief to  the  walk  on  the  other  side  of  the  pond,  and  keep- 
ing that  next  the  street  clear.  I  walked  to  Lady  G.  Mor- 
peth's,  with  whom  I  sat  an  hour ;  it  was  a  cold  dry  day, 
and  the  streets  were  uncommonly  full,  but  no  apparent 
disposition  to  rioting  or  anything  more  than  general  curi- 
osity, and  a  general  fabrication  and  belief  in  lies  at  the 
corner  of  every  street. 

Monday,  9th. — A  hard  rain,  which  continued  all  night, 
had  helped  to  disperse  the  mob  and  keep  all  quiet  in  the 
streets  last  night.  The  rain  continued  the  whole  of  this  day. 
The  first  thing  we  heard  in  the  morning  was  that  Sir  F,  B.'s 
house  had  been  broken  into  by  the  civil  power,  that  is 


416  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

to  say  the  police  officers,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
that  he  was  then  on  his  road  to  the  Tower  in  a  hired 
coach-and-four,  escorted  by  a  strong  party  of  cavalry  and 
Light  Horse.  He  was  carried  up  Bond  Street  so  far,  and 
along  Conduit  Street  and  by  Portland  Street  to  the  New 

O  w 

Koad,  the  Lord  Mayor  having  declined  admitting  his  pas- 
sage with  troops  through  the  City.  The  crowds  in  Bond 
Street,  Oxford  Street,  &c.,  were  great,  in  spite  of  the  con- 
tinued rain,  but  no  mischief  ensued,  and  he  was  safely 
lodged  in  the  Tower,  and  received  there  by  Lord  Moira  at 
half-past  eleven  o'clock.  Lord  Moira  got  quite  safe  back, 
the  crowd  in  the  streets  pulling  off  their  hats,  and  being 
civil.  But  the  cavalry  on  their  return,  especially  the 
Horse  Guards,  after  long  bearing  the  insults  of  the  people 
in  the  most  exemplary  manner,  at  last,  in  the  narrow  lanes 
of  the  City,  fired  some  of  their  pistols  and  carabines, 
which  killed  two  persons  and  wounded  several  others.  It 
continued  raining  hard  and  continually  the  whole  day, 
which  considerably  helped  to  drive  home  the  idlers  and 
the  lookers  on,  of  which  every  great  mob  in  a  great 
town  is  half  composed.  Sir  Thomas  Sutton  called  in  the 
morning  to  inform  us  of  Lord  Moira*  having  got  to  the 
Tower  quietly  at  half-past  ten  before  his  prisoner,  and 
then  again  to  tell  us  of  his  safe  return.  In  the  evening 
the  town  was  quite  quiet ;  there  were  some  patrols  of  sol- 
diers in  the  streets,  but  the  cannons  were  moved  out  of 
the  squares,  and  everything  at  the  west  end  of  the  town 
was  tranquil,  to  which  the  continuous  rain  in  some  degree 
contributed. 

Wednesday,  Ilth. — Saw  Mr.  Sydney  Smith  in  the 
morning  ;  went  over  again  my  Preface  and  Life ;  adopted 
almost  all  his  corrections ;  expressed  with  much  warmth 
and  sincerity  my  thanks  to  him.  I  believe  he  was  pleased, 
but  I  have  not  known  him  long  enough  for  him  to  know 

*  Afterwards  Marquis  of  Hastings,  constable  and  chief  governor  of  the 
Tower  j  died  1836. 


1810]  DEATH   OP  THE   HON.   C.   YORKE.  417 

me.  In  the  evening  to  Mr.  Whitbread's ;  a  large  meeting 
of  all  the  party,  and  very  agreeable. 

Sunday,  22nd. — Walked  off  to  St.  George's  Church ; 
the  church  very  full,  and  the  sermon  by  Mr.  Hodgson, 
whom  I  went  to  hear,  excited  my  attention. 

Sunday,  29th. — Saw  Dr.  Baillie  in  the  evening ;  he  had 
been  sent  for  to  Wimpole,  and  was  going  next  morning  at 
five  o'clock. 

Monday,  3(M. — Soon  after  eleven  arrived  the  fatal  let- 
ter from  Agnes,  brought  by  Dr.  Baillie,  announcing  poor 
Charlie's  *  death  at  Wimpole  the  day  before.  The  Lord 
have  mercy  on  his  mother !  few  things  out  of  my  own 
family  could,  on  her  account,  more  heartily  affect  me. 
While  Agnes's  melancholy  letter  lays  before  me,  and  my 
mind  is  full  of  what  at  this  moment  the  wretched  parents 
of  this  poor  only  boy  are  feeling,  the  carriages  are  rolling 
by  in  hundreds  to  Lady  Hertford's  music  and  Mrs.  Beau- 
mont's ball !  But  this  is  human  life  !  I  know  it,  and  have 
had  enough  of  it. 

Thursday,  May  3rd. — About  nine  o'clock  Mr.  Mon- 
tague told  me  he  had  left  Wimpole  that  day,  and  had 
persuaded  them  all  to  come  to  town,  and  that  they  would 
certainly  arrive  that  night. 

Friday,  ±th. — In  the  morning  went  down  to  St.  James's 
Square  with  Agnes,  and  the  poor  afflicted  souls  had  in- 
tended seeing  me  as  well  as  her,  but  I  thought  it  better 
not  to-day. 

Saturday,  bth. — We  went  again  down  to  St.  James's 
Square  in  the  morning,  and  I  saw  and  sat  with  them  all. 
It  was  a  sort  of  relief  to  my  mind,  for  I  found  them  bet- 
ter than  I  expected,  that  is  to  say,  their  grief  of  that  ten- 
der saint-like  kind,  which  it  is  a  comfort  to  share  and  to 
be  shared.  This  evening  they  are  to  go  to  Lady  A.  Bar- 
nard's little  place  at  Wimbledon,  merely  to  avoid  the 

*  Hon.  Charles  Yorke,  died  in  his  thirteenth  year. 
VOL.  II.  E  E 


418  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

number  of  people  who  would  want,  and  whom  they  could 
hardly  refuse  seeing  them. 

Friday,  llth. — In  the  morning  went  by  myself  to  Wim- 
bledon. Much  more  comfortable  than  I  expected  it; 
was  a  good  day  with  Lady  Hardwicke  ;  both  she  and  he 
had  been  occupied  with  the  sheets  of  the  French  Letters  I 
had  sent  them,  and  with  my  Preface.  They  both  talked 
to  me  a  great  deal  about  it ;  had  made  little  corrections, 
&c. 

Thursday,  17th. — At  home  all  morning ;  saw  Mr.  Long- 
man ;  perfectly  content  with  what  I  have  been  doing,  and 
very  civil  about  everything  that  depends  upon  him.  At 
ten  went  to  Lady  Liddell ;  *  few  people  there ;  poured  in 
by  hundreds,  all  the  north,  and  many  from  every  other 
point  of  the  compass  before  twelve,  when  we  went  to 
Lady  Shaftesbury's,  luckily  almost  next  door  in  Portland 
Place.  The  dancing  began  immediately :  first,  an  English 
dance ;  then  two  quadrilles,  admirably  well  danced ;  high 
benches  round  the  room,  upon  which  everybody  mounted. 
Then  another  English  dance  ;  and  then  Miss  Montgomery 
danced  a  Bolero,  and  Lady  Barbara  immediately  after- 
wards the  Tambourine  dance,  which  was  really  admirable. 
The  ball,  upon  the  whole,  both  with  respect  to  numbers, 
lighting,  company,  dress,  and  dancing,  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  I  ever  saw  in  London. 

Friday,  ISth. — Went  to  Barthelrnan's  concert  with  Lady 
Ellenborough.  The  party,  Lord  and  Lady  Ellenborough, 
Lord  and  Lady  Dunmore,  Lord  Sidmouth,  sat  together 
very  comfortably.  The  Handel  part  of  the  concert  fine. 
The  Hanover  Square  Eooms  quite  full  of  persons,  not  one 
of  whose  faces  I  had  ever  seen  before.  At  the  end  of  the 
first  act  I  went  away,  and  walked  down  the  whole  length 
of  the  room  with  Mr.  Eogers,  through  rows  of  people,  all 
well  or  expensively  dressed,  who  had  paid  half  a  guinea 
for  their  tickets,  such  a  place  is  London ! 

*  Wife  of  Sir  Thomas  Liddell,  afterwards  Lord  Ravens-worth. 


1810]  RELEASE   OF   SIE  F.   BURDETT.  419 

Tuesday,  22nd. — Soon  after  one  o'clock  went  to  Sloane 
Street,  to  call  for  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay,  to  go  to  Lady 
Buckinghamshire's*  Venetian  breakfast.  We  went  on  by 
ourselves  to  Lady  Hood's  f  house,  next  door  to  the  break- 
fast, from  whence  we  proceeded  with  her.  The  house, 
spacious,  clean  and  pretty,  the  garden  looked  pretty,  filled 
with  young  and  gaily-dressed  people  dancing,  some  of 
them  in  masks,  and  many  in  dominoes,  for  this  was  the 
notion  of  a  Venetian  breakfast !  The  eating  part  of  it 
was  luckily  quite  h  PAnglaise,  good  bread  and  butter,  tea 
and  coffee,  &c. 

Thursday,  June  21st. — All  the  streets  full  of  com- 
mon people,  moving  about  in  all  directions  to  see 
Sir  Francis  Burdett's  coming  out  of  the  Tower. 
Went  in  our  carriage  down  to  Piccadilly  just  as 
the  procession,  with  its  innumerable  attendants,  were 
passing,  and  therefore  turned  directly  into  the  court  of 
Devonshire  House,  and,  going  up  a  ladder  from  the  stable 
to  the  roof  next  Sir  F.  Burdett's,  saw  at  our  ease  the 
enormous  troops  of  *  unwashed  artificers '  who  accom- 
panied on  foot  a  long  train  of  shabby  carriages,  and 
squadrons  of  people  on  horseback,  which  formed  the  pro- 
cession, in  which  Sir  F.  Burdett  was  not,  having  gone 
quietly  from  the  Tower  by  water  to  Putney,  and  from 
thence  to  Wimbledon,  to  the  great  disappointment  of  his 
followers ;  a  third  part  of  whom,  it  is  said,  left  the  proces- 
sion before  it  left  the  City.  The  numbers  that  remained, 
joined  to  the  spectators,  certainly  could  not  be  less  than 
150,000  people  ;  I  mean  the  number  that  we  saw  in  the 
whole  length  of  Piccadilly.  There  were  three  shabby 
open  carriages,  drawn  by  men,  and  filled  with  other  men, 
who  were  violently  applauded  and  huzzaed.  We  none 
of  us  knew  any  of  them  by  sight,  but  were  told  Mr. 

*  Albinia,  daughter  of  Lord  Vere  Bertie,  and  granddaughter  of  the  first 
Duke  of  Ancaster ;  married  Earl  of  Buckinghamshire,  1757 ;  died  1816. 
t  Wife  of  Sir  Samuel  Hood,  afterwards  married  to  Stuart  Mackenzie,  Esq. 

£  E  2 


420  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

Waithman  was  in  one  of  them.  After  they  had  passed  and 
huzzaed  before  Sir  F.  Burdett's  house,  they  dispersed  by 
the  other  streets  of  Piccadilly. 

Tuesday,  July  17 'th. — Went  to  Lady  EUenborough's. 
Soon  after  eleven  we  set  out  for  Deptford ;  Lord  Ellen- 
borough,  myself,  and  Mr.  Pakenham,  in  their  coach  and 
four,  and  Lady  Ellenborough  and  the  rest  of  the  party  in 
two  other  carriages.  An  almost  perpetual  string  of  car- 
riages of  one  sort  or  other  the  whole  way  to  Deptford. 
We  had  cards  to  go  into  the  Victualling-office  Yard. 
From  thence  we  walked  into  the  Dockyard ;  the  crowd 
on  foot  there  excessive.  With  all  our  gentlemen,  and  Mr. 
Towey,  a  Commissioner  of  the  Victualling-office,  at  our 
head,  we  could  with  difficulty  make  our  way  good,  into 
the  covered  seats  set  apart  for  tickets  from  the  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty  and  the  Commissioners,  on  each  side  the 
slip  where  the  ship  was.*  We  were  at  last  placed  very 
near  the  end.  The  ship  went  off  five  minutes  before  two 
most  majestically,  though  we  were  too  near  her  to  see 
much  of  the  effect  in  the  water.  The  river  was  crowded 
with  boats,  and  when  this  enormous  ship  drove  for  a 
minute  or  two  with  the  tide,  before  her  anchors  held  her, 
she  must  have  sunk  some  of  the  boats,  which  were  as 
thick  as  they  could  lay  around.  But  one  person,  that  I 
could  hear,  was  drowned.  The  Princess  of  Wales  was  upon 
the  water  in  a  green-covered  barge,  steered  by  a  post 
captain.  Sir  William  Eule,  one  of  the  Surveyors  of  the 
Navy,  took  us  on  board  the  King's  yacht  (that  has  always 
been  at  Weyinouth) ;  it  is  now  in  dock.  A  fine  maho- 
gany and  gilded  thing,  really  very  handsome ;  but  gilt 
blocks  look  somehow  so  inappropriate  for  use,  that  they 
seem  too  misplaced  to  please.  The  crowd  of  common 
people  and  their  wives  and  children,  upon  the  deck  of  this 
vessel  was  great,  and  nothing  but  authority  and  great 

*  The  '  Queen  Charlotte,'  120  guns. 


1810]      LAUNCH  OP  THE  '  QUEEN  CHARLOTTE.'      421 

names  in  the  yard  could  obtain  leave  for  the  cabins  being 
opened  to  our  party. 

Friday •,  2(M. — Sat  to  work,  and  transcribed  all  the 
many  errors  the  accurate  eye  of  Lord  Hardwicke  had 
discovered. 

Monday,  30 th. — Went  by  appointment  with  Eobert  to 
Grafton  Street,  to  consult  with  Mr.  Thornton  about  the 
library  he  proposes  adding  to  his  house.  The  architect 
with  him — a  Mr.  Hopper ;  his  ideas  in  some  respects 
good. 

Thursday,  August  2nd. — Received  my  copies  of  the 
Letters  from  the  bookseller. 

To  Mrs.  Cholmeley. 
Strawberry  Hill,  Tuesday,  7th  August,  1810. 

I  have  just  been  writing  a  line  to  Mr.  Sydney  Smith  to  inform 
him  that  a  copy  of  Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters  awaits  his 
orders,  and  to  beg  that  as  soon  as  he  has  cast  his  eye  over  the 
vols.,  that  he  will  lend  them  to  you.  .  .  .  The  preface  and  life 
you  will,  I  hope,  be  curious  to  read  as  my  writing.  You  will 
tell  me  truly  how  they  strike  you.  Even  Sydney  Smith  said  he 
never  knew  any  one  who  bore  cutting  and  slashing  so  well.  .  .  . 
You  mistake  in  supposing  both  our  houses  on  our  hands.  Little 
Strawberry  has  been  let  ever  since  the  1st  July,  to  Dr.  Bell,  a 
Prebendary  of  Westminster.  But  these  yearly  lettings  answer 
so  ill,  and  are  such  a  continual  source  of  trouble  and  vexation 
to  me,  that  I  mean  to  seek  letting  it  upon  lease.  ...  If  we 
obtain  not  as  much  for  the  year,  as  we  now  get  for  six  months, 
we  shall  be  rich  by  the  change,  and  every  such  change  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  be  made  in  these  days,  when  our  privations 
are  at  least  as  great  as  other  people's.  The  term  of  our  yearly 
job  horses  being  out,  we  have  none  at  present,  and  heaven 
knows  when  we  shall  be  able  to  take  them  up  again,  while 
horse-hire  and  everything  else  augments  in  price  every  day.  In 
spite  of  all  my  determinations  not  to  allow  money,  or  consi- 
derations about  it,  to  wrong  the  remainder  of  my  life,  it  is 
impossible  not  to  be  sometimes  plagued,  and  sometimes  melan- 
choly both  with  what  one  does,  and  what  one  does  not  do.  We 


422  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

have  at  present  the  happiness  of  having  with  us  our  friend  and 
cousin,  Mrs.  Bannister  (Basleton),  whose  husband  has  kindly 
allowed  her  to  fly  up  for  a  month  to  see  Agnes.  The  rational 
cheerful  happiness  of  her  well-ordered  mind,  in  her  union  with 
a  sensible  man  who  knows  her  value,  and  who  doats  upon  her, 
is  really  quite  a  consoling  view  of  existence,  and  her  having  so 
well  deserved  the  quiet  comforts  she  enjoys  by  all  her  former  life 
and  sufferings,  allows  one  reasonably  to  hope  they  will  last. 

JOUKNAL. 

Tuesday,  14^A. — Eeceived  the  two  notes  for  a  hundred 
pounds  each  for  my  book,  from  Longman,  payable  six 
months  hence. 

Thursday,  IQth. — I  worked  hard  at  restoring  all  the 
Du  DefFand  papers  into  their  original  box,  which  is  to  be 
left  here. 

Saturday,  18th. — Walked  over  with  Bab  and  my  father, 
after  breakfast,  to  Little  Strawberry.  The  garden  full  of 
small  fruits,  which  the  tenants  do  not  seem  to  destroy. 
My  flower-garden  overgrown  with  weeds.  I  was  begged 
to  go  in  and  see  Dr.  Bell,  which  I  did,  and  found  the  poor 
little  deaf  old  man  sitting  in  the  drawing-room,  unable  to 
take  exercise,  and  starving  of  cold  because  he  could  not 
think  of  having  a  fire  in  August ! 

Saturday,  2bth. — The  Princess  of  Wales  had  announced 
herself  to  Strawberry  Hill  at  five  o'clock ;  she  did  not 
arrive  till  half-past  six  o'clock.  She  had  with  her  only 
Lady  Charlotte  Campbell,  though  she  had  said  she  meant 
to  bring  with  her  two  or  three  gentlemen.  She  had 
waited  for  Mr.  Gell  and  Mr.  Craven,*  who  had  mistaken 
the  day.  We  had  a  cold  dinner,  as  it  was  supposed  to  be 
luncheon  only.  The  Princess  was  very  lively,  though  the 
company  was  certainly  not  very  amusing  for  her.  She 
remained  long  at  table,  then  walked  and  sat  in  the  garden, 
and  afterwards  looked  at  some  books  of  engravings ;  and 

*  Hon.  Keppel  Craven,  son  of  William  Lord  Craven ;  born  1779. 


1810]  VISIT  TO  HAM   HOUSE.  423 

was  sufficiently  amused  to  remain  till  twelve  o'clock, 
instead  of  leaving  at  half-past  nine  when  the  carriage  was 
ordered.  The  Princess  talked  a  great  deal  to  me,  and,  as 
the  company  was  so  small,  I  exerted  myself  to  keep  up 
the  conversation,  and  to  respond  to  her  gracious  manner. 

Tuesday,  28#A. — We  went  to  Ham  House.  The  house 
and  the  gardens  are  in  the  old  style  ;  that  is  to  say,  the 
style  of  Charles  II.,  and  belonged  to  the  Duke  of  Lauder- 
dale,* who  married  an  heiress,  Countess  of  Dysart,  in 
her  own  right.  There  are  a  great  many  portraits,  some 
of  them  very  good,  and  several  charming  little  pictures  of 
the  Flemish  school ;  much  old  furniture,  and  some  can- 
delabras  in  silver,  chased  to  perfection.  I  was  much 
pleased  with  the  house  and  its  situation,  surrounded  as  it 
is  by  large  avenues  of  trees,  with  its  terraced  gardens,  and 
its  great  bowling  green  ;  and  it  needs  only  to  cut  down  a 
few  trees  to  enjoy  a  most  smiling  scene,  yet  as  perfectly 
quiet  and  secluded  as  if  the  house  were  placed  in  the 
furthest  county  from  London.^ 

Friday,  31st. — During  the  night  there  was  a  clap  of 

*  John  Maitland,  second  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  was  created  Marquis  and 
Duke  of  Lauderdale  1672.  He  married  first,  Ann,  daughter  of  Lord  Home, 
secondly,  1671,  Eliza  Countess  of  Dysart,  relict  of  Sir  Lionel  Tollemache, 
Bart. ;  died  1682. 

f  The  description  of  a  visit  to  Ham  House  from  the  pen  of  Queen  Char- 
lotte, addressed  to  one  of  her  own  family,  may  be  of  some  interest  to  the 
reader.  The  spelling,  capital  letters,  &c.,  are  retained,  as  in  the  original 
letter : — 

'  I  am  to  thank  My  dearest  ....  for  a  very  Kind  Letter  I  received  yes- 
terday, &  wished  to  have  answered  it  immediately,  but  was  prevented  doing 
it  by  a  Visit  to  Ldy  Caroline  and  M™  Darner  at  Ham,  where  we  were 
received  most  kindly  in  Every  Sense.  This  little  retreat  is  quite  a  little 
Earthly  Paradise,  The  House  stands  in  a  Green  Field  Incircled  by  Most 
Magniticant  Trees  all  Planted  by  the  late  Grl  Carpenter,  A  Gravel  Walk 
goes  all  Round  the  Shrubbery  and  also  round  another  Field  which  goes  to 
the  end  of  Ham  walks,  there  they  keep  three  Cows  the  produce  of  their 
Milck  is  sufficient  for  their  Establishment.  The  House  consists  below  Stairs 
of  a  Small  Hall,  Drawing  Room  &  Dining  Room  &  a  Small  Parlour  which 
is  Lady  Portarlingtons  Painting  Room  when  she  inhabits  the  House.  The 
Drawing  &  Dining  Room  are  entirely  furnished  with  Lady  Portarlington's 
Paintings  Consisting  Chiefly  of  Copies  after  the  Old  and  most  Famous 


424  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

thunder  which  awoke  and  frightened  everybody,  and  I 
above  all,  who  am  always,  to  my  shame,  afraid  of  thunder. 
It  was  a  single  clap,  which  seemed  to  be  immediately  over 
London,  but  which  really  fell  at  Kensington,  near  the 
palace.  Several  panes  of  glass  were  broken  by  the  per- 
cussion of  the  air ;  and  a  large  tree,  near  the  entrance  to 

Masters.  A  Picture  of  Her  Mother  in  a  Turkish  Dress,  one  of  the  Present 
Lrd  Bute,  &  one  of  Sr  Charles  Stewart  are  those  not  done  by  Her.  From 
the  Salle  de  Companie  You  go  into  the  Gardens  where  under  the  Shade  of 
the  finest  Trees  possible  You  may  save  Yourself  from  the  Violence  of  the 
Sun.  Above  Stairs  there  are  upon  the  Best  Floor  four  excellent  Bed 
Chambers,  &  M"  Darner  assures  me  that  the  Attics  are  good  &  the 
Offices  also.  We  Dined  at  three  &  had  to  the  Honour  of  M™  D.'s  House- 
keeper &  Cook  as  Elegant  &  good  a  Dinner  as  if  a  Cordon  Bleue  had 
directed  it,  we  were  very  Chearfull  &  a  little  after  four  we  drank  Coffe ; 
the  Rain  having  ceased  Ldy  Caroline  wished  to  shew  me  from  Ham  walks 
the  View  of  the  Biver  &  likewise  that  of  Lord  Dysart's  Place  &  as  She 
has  been  favoured  with  a  Key  She  offered  to  carry  us  there,  we  walked  & 
most  delightfull  it  was  there,  &  saw  not  only  the  House,  but  all  the  Beau- 
tifull  Old  China  which  a  Civil  Housekeeper  offered  to  show  us.  It  is  so 
fine  a  Collection  that  to  know  &  admire  it  as  one  ought  to  do  it  would 
require  many  Hours,  but  when  all  the  Fine  Paintings,  Cabinets  of  Excellent 
Workmanship  both  in  Ivory  &  Amber  also  attrack  Yr  Notice  Days  are 
required  to  see  it  with  Advantage  to  oneself.  The  House  is  much  altered 
since  I  saw  it  by  repairing  &  tho'  the  Old  Furniture  still  remains  it  is  now 
kept  so  clean,  that  even  under  the  Tattered  State  of  Hangings  &  Chairs 
One  must  admire  the  good  Taste  of  Our  forefathers  &  their  Magnificence. 
The  Parquete"  Floors  have  been  taken  up  with  great  Care,  Cleaned  &  re- 
laid  &  in  order  to  preserve  them  the  Present  Lord  has  put  Carpets  over 
them,  but  of  Course  not  Nailed  down.  I  saw  this  time  also  the  Chapel 
which  is  so  dark  &  Dismal  that  I  could  not  go  into  it.  Upon  the  whole  the 
Place  remaining  in  its  old  Stile  is  Beautifull  &  Magnificent  both  within  & 
without,  but  truely  Melancholy.  My  lord  is  very  little  there  since  the 
Death  of  His  Lady  for  whom  He  had  the  greatest  regard  &  attention. 
We  returned  by  six  to  Ham,  and  left  Our  Hostesses  &  Ldy  Cardigan  immedi- 
ately, we  were  back  time  enough  to  Dress  before  the  Kg  returned  from 
London,  &  I  had  before  that  a  Visit  from  Augustus  [Duke  of  Sussex],  who 
sets  out  to  Day  to  join  the  Prince,  but  means  to  see  Oxford  &  Blenheim  in 

His  way.      And  now  my  dearest I  know  of  no  more  to  entertain 

you  for  to  Day,  &  if  I  have  succeeded  in  giving  You  but  a  Quarter  of  an 
Hours  Amusement  I  shall  be  amply  rewarded,  but  the  greatest  reward  You 
could  give  me,  &  the  best  News  from  Y'  Part  of  the  World  would  be  that 
of  Yr  being  better  which  I  hope  will  soon  be  attained  by  Fresh  Air,  and  in- 
hailing  the  Soft  Sea  Breathe.  This  is  the  Constant  Prayer  &  wish  of 

Yr  affectionnate &  Friend, 

« the  7th  Sep1*  1809.'  <  CHARLOTTE. 


1810]  A  THUNDER  STORM.  425 

the  Princess  of  Wales's  apartments,  was  half  torn  up.  Sir 
Harry  Englefield,  Eogers,  Gell,  and  Keppel  Craven,  who 
went  out  the  instant  supper  was  over  at  the  Princess's, 
were  surrounded  with  a  blue  flame,  which  serpentined  in 
a  thousand  little  zigzags  of  fire ;  and  the  noise  of  the 
thunder  afterwards  sounded  like  the  largest  pieces  of 
artillery  fired  off  in  their  ears.  They  all  felt  deafened  for 
a  time,  and  then  quitted  their  carriage,  and,  expecting 
the  continuance  of  the  storm,  re-entered  the  Princess's 
apartments ;  but  in  less  than  an  hour  the  sky  was  perfectly 
clear  and  covered  with  stars. 

Saturday,  September  \st — Notwithstanding  the  storm 
last  evening,  the  morning  is  hotter  than  ever.  The  ther- 
mometer yesterday  and  to-day  was  up  to  86  and  89. 

Saturday,  8th. — I  went  to  Kensington,  to  Lady  C. 
Campbell,  to  take  Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters  to  the 
Princess.  The  Princess,  who  came  into  her  ladyship's 
room,  thanked  me  in  the  most  gracious  manner  possible. 
She  remained  talking  with  me  for  more  than  an  hour,  and 
invited  me  to  dine  with  her  to-day,  but  I  was  furnished 
with  an  excuse,  which  she  accepted ;  I  was  going  into  the 
country,  and  she  took  leave  of  me,  saying  a  thousand 
amiable  things,  and  begging  me  to  remember  her,  and  to 
preserve  her  in  my  '  good  graces.' 

Wednesday,  I2th. — I  saw  Mr.  Hope,  to  whom  I  had  to 
talk  upon  the  subject  of  the  decorations  of  Mrs.  D —  -'s 
theatre,  and  to  ask  his  advice  about  Mr.  Thornton's 
intended  library. 

The  following  letters,  from  Colbert,  Bishop  of  Kodez, 
Professor  Playfair,  Mr.  Cambridge,  Mr.  Hope,  and  Mr. 
Eoscoe,  bear  testimony  to  the  impression  made  on  them 
by  the  manner  in  which  Miss  Berry  had  executed  her 
arduous  task  as  editor  of  Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters, 
and  as  author  of  the  preface  and  notes,  which  added  so 
much  to  the  interest  of  the  work  : — 


426  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

Londres,  le  3  d'Aout,  1810. 

J'ai  recu  hier  au  soir,  Mademoiselle,  un  gros  paquet  avec  une 
petite  lettre  attachee  a  1'enveloppe.  J'ai  ouvert  1'un  et  1'autre 
avec  1'empressement  de  la  curiosite,  et  en  presence  de  plusieurs 
personnes. 

La  petite  lettre  etoit  de  vous,  et  m'annoncoit  le  magnifique 
present  que  vous  m'avez  envoie.  Elle  etoit  charmante  cette 
lettre,  pleine  de  bontes ;  j'en  etois  confus,  et  cependant  ma 
modestie  n'a  pas  resiste  a  la  tentation  de  la  montrer  a  mes  amis. 
Us  1'ont  tous  jugee,comme  moi,digne  de  toute  ma  reconnoissance. 
Je  ne  merite  pas  la  centieme  partie  de  tout  ce  que  vous  m'y 
dites  d'honnete  et  de  flatteur.  Et  pourquoi  m'avez-vous  offert 
ce  magnifique  don?  N'etois-je  pas  deja  assez  honore,  assez 
heureux  d'avoir  pu  manifester  un  peu  de  zele  et  de  bonne 
volonte  pour  le  succes  d'un  objet  qui  vous  interesse  et  qui  est 
interessant  par  lui-meme  ?  Eeprennez  done  vos  remercimens ; 
mais  je  garde  1'ouvrage  comme  votre  bienfait,  une  marque 
honorable  de  votre  bienveillance  et  de  votre  amitie. 

En  parcourant  les  volumes,  j'ai  ete  en  general  content  de 
1'impression,  quoi  que  le  n ombre  des  erratas  soit  considerable, 
et  je  ne  doute  pas  du  succes  de  1'ouvrage.  Je  m'attens  de  la 
part  des  imprimeurs  a  plus  d'exactitude  dans  une  seconde  edition. 
Quant  a  1'ouvrage  meme,  je  regrette  que  1'on  y  ait  laisse  subsister 
quelques  taches.  Je  ne  releverai  que  les  epigrammes  qu'on  lit 
dans  le  2  volume,  pages  385,  386,  515,  et  516.  Elles  peuvent 
faire  de  la  peine  a  des  personnes  bien  cheres  aujourd'ui  a  tout 
bon  Francois.  Mais  il  est  trop  tard  d'en  faire  a  present  1'obser- 
vation. 

Quoi  qu'il  en  soit,  Mademoiselle,  recevez  mes  respectueuses 
actions  de  graces,  disposez  de  moi  dans  toutes  les  circonstances 
de  ma  vie  ou  j  e  puis  vous  servir  utilement ;  ne  pensez  jamais  a 
me  remercier,  et  songez  que  je  serai  toujours  flatte  que  vous 
daigniez  m'employer  a  promouvoir  vos  louables  vues.  Ce  sont  les 
sentimens  bien  sinceres  de  votre  fidele  serviteur 

F.  S.,  Ev.  DE  Ex  Z. 

Edinburgh,  22nd  Sept.,  1810. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  your  letter, 
and  since,  of  the  Letters  of  Madame  du  Deffand,  which  last 
arrived  safe  by  the  mail  three  days  ago.  Accept  my  best 
acknowledgments  for  both.  I  have  had  little  time  yet  to  look 


1810]  TESTIMONIALS.  427 

into  the  Letters  ;  the  preface  is  excellent,  very  well  written  and 
very  judicious.  The  notes  bespeak  that  great  familiarity  with 
the  characters  and  persons  who  figure  in  the  book,  which  cannot 
be  acquired  by  reading,  and  are  the  result  of  living  and  con- 
versing in  the  first  circles  both  in  France  and  in  this  country. 
I  find  a  great  deal  of  amusement  and  interest  in  the  few 
letters  I  have  yet  read ;  yet  I  am  not  sure  that  the  book  will 
be  so  generally  interesting  as  it  deserves  to  be ;  its  popularity,  I 
think,  is  likely  to  be  confined  to  a  part  of  the  fashionable  and  a 
part  of  the  literary  world,  the  part  of  each  that  takes  a  parti- 
cular concern  in  the  society  and  literature  of  France,  or  of  what 
was  the  society  and  literature  of  that  country.  You  do  not,  I 
am  persuaded,  expect  more  than  this,  and  this  I  think  you 
cannot  fail  to  have. 

I  have  been  a  great  wanderer  this  summer,  though  my  route  has 
not  lain  far  to  the  south.  I  made  a  visit  to  the  Giant's  Cause- 
way, with  which  I  was  extremely  delighted  ;  though  from  descrip- 
tion and  drawings,  I  found  I  had  conceived  a  tolerably  exact 
idea  of  the  structure ;  yet  the  impression  from  the  greatness 
and  magnificence  of  the  objects  could  not  be  anticipated  but 
by  an  imagination  much  more  powerful  than  mine.  From  the 
Giant's  Causeway  I  went  to  Dublin,  and  returned  much  de- 
lighted with  all  that  I  had  seen,  and  with  most  of  those  whom  I 
met  in  Ireland.  Since  that,  I  have  been  in  the  north  of  Scotland 
on  a  short  excursion,  and  have  now  begun  to  prepare  seriously 
for  the  academical  winter,  which  begins  unfashionably  enough 
in  November.  If  all  is  well,  I  hope  to  see  you  in  May. 

Some  weeks  ago  I  saw  Miss  Phil.  Godfrey,  who  was  here  on 
her  way  to  Ireland  with  Lady  Kingston.  She  is  very  agreeable ; 
I  hardly  ever  had  an  opportunity  of  hearing  her  speak  before, 
but  her  conversation  is  very  pleasing. 

I  will  say  nothing  of  public  matters,  which  seem  to  go  on  as 
bad  as  possible,  but  in  the  affair  of  Walcheren  we  have  wit- 
nessed the  utmost  degradation  that  the  country  ever  experienced, 
and  anything  short  of  that  infamy,  is  to  be  reckoned  a  kind  of 
prosperity.  Among  private  evils,  the  death  of  Lady  Rosslyn  is 
one  of  the  most  melancholy  I  have  known.  How  does  Mrs. 
Bouverie  bear  up  ? 

A  most  amiable  and  charming  woman,  Mrs.  Apreece,*  who 

*  Jane,  daughter  of  Charles  Kerr,  of  Kelso,  Esq.,  married,  first,  to  Shuck- 


428  MISS  BEKRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

has  been  with  us  in  Scotland  for  near  a  year,  is  just  returning 
to  the  south,  greatly  to  our  sorrow  (to  mine  certainly  very  much) ; 
she  is  extremely  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  you ; 
she  is  a  great  friend  of  some  of  your  friends — Mrs.  Clifford  par- 
ticularly— and  so  I  hope  you  will  early  be  able  to  meet.  She 
will  not  be  in  London  till  February. 

What  shall  I  say  about  Mrs.  Howe  ?  nothing  but  that  I  am  to 
write  her  in  a  post  or  two  a  letter  full  of  problems  and  apologies. 
I  wish  you  could  sometimes,  especially  now  that  you  are  relieved 
from  the  duties  of  publication,  find  time  to  write  me  a  line  or 
two  in  the  winter.  You  do  not  know  what  a  treat  your  letters 
are  to  me.  Be  kind  enough  to  remember  me  to  Miss  Agnes, 
Mrs.  Darner,  and  Mr.  Berry. 

Yours,  with  the  most  sincere  and  affectionate  attachment, 

J.  PLA.YFAIR. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Cambridge  to  Miss  Berry. 

Twickenham  Meadows. 

.  .  .  .  I  was  about  to  take  up  my  pen  to  you  to  express 
the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  we  have  just  experienced  in  the 
perusal  of  your  *  Life  of  Madame  du  Deffand,'  which  does  great 
credit  to  your  judgment  and  feeling.  The  plain  and  clear  re- 
presentation you  have  given  of  the  mischiefs  of  French  manners, 
and  the  sufferings  she  endured  from  the  want  of  those  consola- 
tions which  religious  impressions  are  so  well  calculated  to 
furnish,  to  infirmity  and  old  age,  will  do  more  to  recommend 
religion  to  your  readers,  than  any  more  direct  argument  on  the 
subject  could  do.  This  sketch  of  yours  reminded  me  strongly 
of  some  of  Sir  Joshua's  single  heads,  so  much  and  so  justly 
admired  for  their  simplicity  and  truth.  I  only  regret  you  have 
not  taken  a  larger  canvas  and  introduced  a  greater  variety  of 
figures  and  objects.  But  it  was  the  success  of  his  single  figures 
which  led  that  great  painter  on  to  his  Ugolino. 

Extracts  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Hope. 

MY  DEAR  Miss  BERRY, — Your  preface  I  devoured  the  moment 
I  got  it.  I  have  since  not  despatched,  but  finished  your  life, 
with  the  highest  relish  for  the  ease  of  its  style,  and  the  pro- 
burgh  Ashby  Apreece,  Esq.,  and  afterwards,  April  1812,  to  Sir  Humphry 
Davy.  Sir  Humphry  died  May  1829. 


1810]  TESTIMONIALS MR.   HOPE.  429 

found  reflections  and  just  estimate  of  Madame  du  Deffand's 
own  character,  and  that  of  her  age  and  society  which  it  con- 
tains. I  now  feast  upon  your  notes,  and  a  delightful  treat  they 
are.  Avec  une  telle  sauce  on  mangerait.  .  .  No  matter 
what,  I  read  all  out  to  Louisa,  who  owes  you  the  whole  of  the 
few  moments  of  enjoyment  she  feels  at  this  period  of  anxious 
expectation,  and  desires  me  most  warmly  to  thank  you  for 
them.  I  regret  your  wire-wove  copies  having  been  spoilt,  be- 
cause it  is  a  disappointment  to  you.  To  me  the  two  lines 
inscribed  on  the  title  page  render  my  little  copy  what  no  sheets 
of  gold  could  equal.  .  .  . 

What  a  labour  those  notes  must  have  cost  you,  notwithstand- 
ing il  y  parait  si  pen,  and  yet  they  preserve  the  true  character 
of  notes — subordinate  to  the  text;  explaining,  sometimes  cor- 
recting, and  never  eclipsing  it  by  a  disproportionate  length. 

From  Mr.  Roscoe  to  Miss  Berry. 

DEAR  MADAM, — It  was  not  possible  that  your  obliging  note 
of  the  26th  could  have  arrived  at  a  more  welcome  moment ;  in 
fact,  I  may  almost  be  said  to  have  past  the  last  ten  or  twelve 
days  in  your  society;  for  having  been  confined  to  the  house 
by  indisposition,  my  chief  pleasure  has  been  the  perusal  of 
Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters  with  the  notes,  together  with  Lord 
Orford's  correspondence,  which,  of  all  the  books  in  our  language, 
is  the  best  calculated  for  the  study  of  a  convalescent,  and  I 
really  believe  is  better  than  most  of  the  physic  in  the  pharma- 
copoeia. On  the  table  before  me  lay  the  beginning  of  a  letter 
intended  to  thank  you,  for  the  four  elegant  volumes  which  I 
some  time  since  received,  although  I  have  scarcely  till  this  in- 
terval of  leisure,  had  time  to  look  into  them.  These  letters 
seem  to  me  to  be  curious  and  interesting,  but  they  open  the 
way  to  other  reflexions  than  the  author  herself  was  ever  aware 
of.  What  these  are,  I  need  not  inform  you.  The  judicious 
and  excellent  notes  which  accompany  them  show  that  you  have 
considered  them  in  their  proper  light,  and  that  you  are  as  well 
aware  as  I  am,  that  the  horrible  depravity,  selfishness,  insin- 
cerity, and  licentiousness,  which,  under  the  example  of  the 
French  monarchs,  had  infected  all  the  higher  ranks  of  society, 
and  impoverished  and  enslaved  the  nation  at  large,  could  have 
no  other  result  than  that  which  has  actually  taken  place. 


430  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [mo 

As  to  Madame  du  Deffand  herself,  I  have  some  doubts 
whether  we  shall  so  nearly  agree.  She  is  a  true  Frenchwoman, 
with  great  penetration  and  shrewdness,  but  little  discretion; 
great  pretence  to  sentiment,  but  wholly  without  a  heart — 
witness  her  conduct  with  respect  to  Voltaire,  whom  she  pro- 
fessed to  esteem  and  admire  above  all  her  other  friends,  but 
whose  death  she  has  noticed  with  the  utmost  indifference,  and 
whose  yet  warm  ashes  she  insulted  with  a  wretched  witticism. 

Mad.  du  Deffand  was  sick  in  mind  all  her  life,  and  could 
never  discover  the  cause.  Mr.  Walpole,  her  true  friend,  seems 
from  time  to  time  to  have  given  her  some  good  advice,  which 
she  had  the  philosophy  to  take  in  good  part,  as  a  patient  receives 
a  bottle  of  physic,  the  contents  of  which  be  resolves  never  to 
swallow.  Her  disease  was  vanity ;  her  opiate,  admiration ;  and 
as  this,  like  other  opiates,  requires  an  increased  dose,  she  be- 
came miserable  when  she  could  not  obtain  it.  How  happy  it 
would  have  been  for  her  if,  instead  of  depending  on  the  opinion 
of  others,  she  had  relied  on  herself;  chastised  her  mind;  im- 
proved her  understanding — naturally  so  capable  of  it ;  viewed 
the  present  and  the  future,  not  through  the  glass  of  fashion,  but 
with  the  eye  of  reason ;  and  whilst  she  enjoyed  the  calm  and 
temperate  pleasures  which  even  her  situation  afforded,  have 
looked  forwards  with  hope  and  confidence  to  a  better  state.  But 
retirement  was  not  fashionable  ;  good  sense  was  not  fashionable ; 
sincerity  was  not  fashionable ;  religion  was  not  fashionable ; 
and  morality  still  less  so ;  in  short,  it  was  the  fashion  to  turn 
everything  that  is  truly  estimable  in  public  and  private  life  into 
ridicule ;  and  Mad.  du  D.  had  the  assurance  to  sing,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  King  of  Sweden,  her  Chanson  des  Philosophes, 
little  thinking  that  such  outrages  upon  decency  were  only  the 
dreadful  notes  of  preparation  for  those  horrible  calamities,  which 
were  so  shortly  to  ensue. 

It  would  however  be  unjust  to  Mad.  du  D.  not  to  acknowledge 
that  the  easy  and  unaffected  style  of  her  letters  must  ensure  the 
approbation  of  the  admirers  of  the  best  models  of  French  com- 
position, and  that  the  succession  of  important  personages  who 
pass  in  review  before  her,  will  amuse  those  who  like  to  contem- 
plate the  shadows  of  fallen  greatness. 

If  I  have  been  pleased  with  your  notes  on  Mad.  du  Deffand, 
I  am  delighted  with  the  favourable  opinion  you  have  so  kindly 


1810]  TESTIMONIALS — MR.   W.    ROSCOE.  431 

expressed  of  my  collection  of  tracts  on  the  war.  In  proportion 
as  those  who  avow  such  opinions  are  few,  the  approbation  they 
express  is  dearer  to  the  feelings  of  an  author ;  besides,  the  ladies 
of  the  present  day  are  so  warlike,  that  it  is  really  extraordinary 
to  find  one,  who  has  retained  the  clear  and  unprejudiced  use  of 
her  understanding  amidst  the  attempts  that  are  made  on  all 
hands  to  confound  right  and  wrong,  and  to  persuade  us  that  no 
other  nations  have  either  a  right  to  think  for  themselves,  or  to 
be  happy  in  their  own  way. 

To  talk  over  these  subjects  with  you,  and  for  once  in  my  life 
to  visit  the  real  '  Castle  of  Otranto '  before  I  go  to  meet  its  late 
possessor,  would,  I  assure  you,  give  me  great  pleasure — a  pleasure 
which  I  do  not  yet  wholly  despair  of  obtaining.  Lord  Orford's 
character  improves  upon  me  every  time  I  read  his  works.  His 
wit  is  universally  acknowledged;  of  his  political  sagacity  and 
foresight  he  has  left  many  very  striking  proofs ;  but,  above  all, 
there  are  so  many  instances  of  a  kind  and  beneficent  disposition, 
and  such  an  enlarged  and  impartial  solicitude  for  the  good  of 
others,  without  the  least  affectation  or  pretence,  that  I  cannot 
but  venerate  his  memory  ;  and  in  this  sentiment  find  an  addi- 
tional motive  of  assuring  you  how  truly  I  am, 

Dear  Madam,  your  obliged  and  faithful  friend, 
And  very  obt.  sert. 

W.  EOSCOE. 
Allerton,  30th  Dec.,  1810. 

JOUENAL. 

Monday,  September  24$. — Arrived  at  Guy's  Cliff.  We 
received  the  heartiest  of  welcomes  from  our  two  friends 
here.  Nobody  staying  in  the  house. 

Tuesday,  25$. — Walked  all  round  the  place  after 
breakfast,  and  Mr.  Greathead  showed  us  all  the  alterations 
he  has  made  in  the  house,  which  render  it  one  of  the 
most  comfortable  gentleman's  houses  I  know.  The  out- 
side, too,  is  managed  with  great  taste ;  and  a  little  excres- 
cence is  a  beauty  instead  of  a  deformity.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilmot  dined  here — two  young  people  living  within  two 
miles  of  this  place  ;  she  a  very  pretty  woman. 


432  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

Wednesday r,  26^. — At  one  o'clock  we  went  to  Lea- 
mington, to  see  the  new  houses  building  and  to  be  built 
on  Mr.  Greathead's  land — land  of  which  he  has  sold  three 
acres  for  1,200/.  an  acre,  or  5s.  a  yard.  The  houses  are 
all  building  by  an  associated  company  of  people  at  War- 
wick, who  have  subscribed  and  are  expending  50,000£. 
here.  The  houses  now  building  are  in  rows,  like  any 
street  in  London,  and  are  in  the  very  worst  taste  possible, 
though  upon  land  gently  rising  from  the  old  village, 
through  which  the  high  road  passes,  and  which  might  be 
very  pretty.  Our  friend  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  build- 
ing ;  he  can  lay  no  such  restrictions  or  commands  as  his 
excellent  taste  would  dictate,  without  losing  the  opportu- 
nity of  making  that  money  of  his  land  which  he  has 
expended  to  his  more  solid  comfort  at  Guy's  Cliff.  Other 
land,  still  nearer  the  old  village,  has  been  sold  for  build- 
ing at  15s.  a  yard,  or  at  the  rate  of  3,500/.  an  acre,  at  this 
place,  which  is  fast  rising  into  a  considerable  town  and 
watering-place.*  The  two  Misses  Williams  and  their 
brother  dined  and  slept  here.  They  are  the  son  and 
daughters  of  the  clergyman  in  this  neighbourhood.  One 
of  the  daughters  is  entirely  blind ;  she  is  very  cheerful 
and  handy,  and  consequently  interesting,  and  they  all 
seemed  well  informed. 

Friday,  28th. — Mr.  Greathead  and  Mr.  Williams  rowed 
Agnes  and  me  down  the  river  to  Warwick  Castle.  The 
navigation  down  the  Avon  is  very  agreeable ;  a  quiet 
stream  overshadowed  with  broad  alders,  and  flowing 
through  a  country  of  quiet  sylvan  beauty. 

Sunday,  30#A. — Went  to  Milverton  Church.  An  ex- 
cellent sermon  from  Mr.  Lane,  (?)  on  the  true  spirit,  and 
in  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity. 

Monday,  October  ~Lst. — We  all  dined  at  Kenilworth 
with  Sir  James  and  Lady  Lake.  Sir  James  Lake's  house 

*  The  population  of  Leamington  at  the  last  Census  was  estimated  at 
15,724. 


1810]  VISIT  TO   STONELEIGH.  433 

very  pretty  of  its  size,  entirely  of  Mr.  Greathead's  con- 
trivance ;  to  me,  who  saw  it  as  it  was  bought,  it  is  won- 
derful. The  purchase-money  for  it  and  fourteen  acres  of 
land,  was  2,000/.  The  house,  its  alterations,  and  fittings 
have  cost  5,000/. 

Wednesday,  3rd. — Waked  low  and  ill,  and  would  will- 
ingly not  have  dined  out,  but  Mr.  Greathead  wished  it. 
I  went  with  them  to  Mr.  Parke's,  at  Warwick,  a  great 
worsted—spinner,  who  is  likewise  a  sort  of  agent  and 
banker  to  Greathead,  and  one  of  whom  he  has  a  high 
opinion ;  seems  a  sensible  intelligent  man,  is  a  dissenter, 
and  much  in  the  Whig  party  at  Warwick.  He  was 
cruelly  persecuted  at  the  time  of  the  Church-and-King 
riots  at  Birmingham.  I  liked  the  plain  unpretending 
manner  of  living  of  the  Parkes. 

Saturday,  6th. — Greathead,  my  sister,  and  myself  went 
to  Stoneleigh,  about  four  miles  from  hence.  We  passed 
the  house  or  abbey,  as  it  is  called,  from  an  abbey  for- 
merly on  the  site  of  the  present  clumsy  house,  and  drove 
on  to  the  park.  Before  we  entered  we  met  our  acquain- 
tance Mrs.  Leigh  (whose  husband*  is  to  succeed  to  this 
place  after  the  present  incumbent), -and  the  old  incumbent 
himself,  and  Mr.  Eepton,  planning  future  improvements ; 
very  probably,  like  the  Irishman's,  for  the  worse.  They 
gave  us  a  key  to  the  park,  but  we  continued  on  foot,  and 
were  led  by  Greathead  to  the  most  beautiful  parts  of  the 
most  beautiful  woodland  scenery.  The  Avon,  which 
runs  through  it,  is  here  in  some  parts  a  pretty  rippling 
trout  stream,  with  such  magnificent  oaks  hanging  over  it 
as  mine  eyes  never  before  beheld ;  and  in  others  it  has 
steep  sandy  banks,  covered  by  the  same  magnificent  trees, 
which  in  this  park  are  in  every  state  and  stage  of  growth, 
of  full  vigour,  and  of  natural  decay,  producing  every 

*  James  Henry  Leigh,  Esq.,  of  Adelstrop,  afterwards  of  Stoneleigh ;  born 
1765 ;  married,  1786,  the  Hon.  Julia  Judith  Tvrisleton,  eldest  daughter  of 
Thomas  Lord  Saye  and  Sele;  he  died  1823. 
VOL.  II.  F  F 


434  MISS  BEKKY'S  JOURXAL.  [isio 

possible  accident  of  woodland  scenery.  Many  of  the  oaks 
measured  by  Mr.  Greathead  are  twenty-seven  and  twenty- 
nine  yards  round.  If  this  park  shows  some  marks  of 
4  neglect,  it  is,  at  least,  unspoiled  by  improvement.  After 
our  walk  we  returned  to  the  house,  and  saw  the  principal 
rooms  on  the  ground-floor  of  one  of  the  worst-contrived 
large  houses  of  fourteen  windows  in  front  I  ever  saw; 
most  of  the  rooms  are  oak  boxes,  floored  and  lined  with 
oak,  of  which  one  may  have  too  much,  though  I  love  it. 
We  met  Mrs.  Leigh  and  her  party  on  our  road  home. 
Mr.  Eepton  (whom  I  had  never  seen  before),  fired  off  an 
exceeding  fine  complimentary  speech  to  Agnes  and  me 
from  the  window  of  the  carriage.  The  Leighs  possess 
12,000  acres,  in  the  parish  of  Stoneleigh  alone,  of 
excellent  land,  much  under-let  at  30s.  an  acre,  and  in 
the  county  of  Warwick,  not  less  than  22,000  acres,  upon 
which,  certainly,  50,000/.  worth  of  wood  might  be  cut 
down — I  don't  say  without  injuring,  but  positively  doing 
good  to  the  estate.  What  a  magnificent  possession  of 
real  wealth !  It  has  been  long  thrown  away  upon  people 
who  have  done  no  good,  encouraged  no  improvements, 
employed  no  fine  arts,  collected  nothing ;  there  is  not  even 
the  pretence  to  a  library  in  the  house ;  and  the  present 
possessors,  an  old  clergyman  and  his  old  sister,  are 
perfectly  encumbered  with  the  wealth,  to  which  they 
succeeded  at  a  late  period  of  life,  and  which  obliged  them 
to  leave  a  comfortable  parsonage,  where  they  had  passed 
their  best  years. 

N.B. — The  whole  of  the  timber  on  the  Leigh  estates 
in  Warwickshire  has  been  valued  at  1,000,000/.  sterling. 

Tuesday,  9th. — Agnes  and  I  walked  with  Mr.  Great- 
head,  after  breakfast,  to  Warwick,  to  see  Mr.  Parke's 
manufactory,  which  he  had  offered  to  show  us,  and  which 
I  visited  rather  out  of  compliment  to  him  than  from  any 
pleasure  to  myself;  for  machinery  I  never  comprehend 
except  in  a  model ;  and  manufactories,  upon  a  near  in- 


1810]  WARWICK  CHURCH.  435 

spection,  are  always  disagreeable.  This  is  for  spinning 
worsted,  for  knitting  and  weaving.  It  differs  but  little 
from  cotton-spinning ;  the  fleeces  are  cleverly  washed 
between  rollers.  About  500  people,  men,  women,  and 
children,  are  here  employed ;  and  the  whole  machinery 
all  over  the  building  moves  by  a  steam-engine  of  24-horse 
power,  which  can  be  stopped  at  once  by  pulling  a  single 
string  like  a  bell-handle. 

After  seeing  the  manufactory  in  all  its  detail,  we  went 
with  Mr.  Parke  and  his  sons  to  Warwick  Church:  I 
wished  to  see  the  spot  where  poor  Bertie  *  is  deposited. 
There  is,  as  yet,  no  memorial  of  him  on  the  stone  which 
covers  the  family  vault,  and  where  mention  is  only  made 
of  Samuel  Greathead,  his  grandfather,  and  Peregrine 
Greathead,  his  father's  elder  brother,  who  died  when  a 
lad. 

The  Lady  Chapel,  as  it  is  called,  in  this  church  (the  only 
part  that  escaped  fire  some  years  ago),  is  beautiful,  and 
kept  almost  in  too  good  repair,  for  it  and  all  its  monu- 
ments are  gilt  and  coloured  up,  perhaps  too  much  ;  40/. 
a  year  is  left  for  this  purpose.  A  very  fine  tomb,  with 
figure  in  complete  armour  of  brass,  and  covered  with  a 
sort  of  cradle  of  the  same  metal,  of  Beauchamp,f  Earl  of 
Warwick.  A  fine  and  much-ornamented  tomb,  with 
cumbent  figures  of  Leicester,  Queen  Elizabeth's  favourite, 
and  his  wife ;  and  a  little  cumbent  figure  of  an  eldest  son 
of  an  Earl  of  Warwick,  called  upon  the  inscription,  '  an 
Illustrious  Impe,'  admirably  sculptured. 

In  the  middle  of  the  old  chapter-house  is  the  tomb 
of  Sir  Fulke  Greville,  erected  by  himself  during  his  life, 
with  the  inscription  upon  it  of  '  the  friend  of  Sir  Philip 
Sidney.' 

Saturday,  13$. — We  took  a  long  scrambling  walk,  over 

*  Bertie  Greathead,  Esq.,  son  of  Mr.  Greathead,  of  Guy's  Cliff, 
t  Beauchamp,  Earl  and  Duke  of  Warwick,  died  in  1445,  when  the  duke- 
dom became  extinct. 


436  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

hedge  and  ditch,  and  turnip  and  stubble  fields,  to  a 
shepherd's  cave,  cut  in  the  rock,  and  to  the  drooping  well 
upon  the  edge  of  the  Avon,  to  which,  three  years  ago, 
Greathead  had  carried  me  by  water.  The  blind  Miss 
Williams,  who  was  one  of  our  company,  got  marvellously 
over  everything,  with  no  more  assistance  than  the  rest  of 
us,  and  with  much  cheerfulness. 

Sunday ',  \kth. — I  went  to  Melverton  Church  with  the 
Greatheads,  and  stayed  and  took  the  Sacrament  with 
them,  which  I  always  prefer  doing  in  a  quiet  country 
church,  than  in  the  bustle  of  a  London  one. 

The  blind  Miss  Williams  played  much  of  Handel's  music, 
and  afterwards  Greathead  read  Clarke's  travels  to  us. 

Sunday,  2~Lst. — In  the  evening  the  two  young  Parkes 
came  up,  and  we  traced  upon  a  map  the  route  of  a  bro- 
ther of  Mrs.  Parke  (a  captain  of  a  coasting  vessel,  who 
has  just  escaped  out  of  a  French  prison  at  Auxonne,  and 
came  round  by  Prague,  and  then  by  the  Baltic  home).  He 
and  his  companion  were  forty-six  days  on  their  journey, 
walking  on  an  average  thirty  miles  a  day,  and,  till  they 
got  far  out  of  France,  sleeping  in  the  fields. 

Monday,  22nd. — At  ten  o'clock  we  took  leave  of  our 
kind  friends.  We  have  spent  a  month  with  them  most 
agreeably,  with  the  additional  charm  of  fine  weather. 
Before  breakfast  I  had  gone  to  Greathead  in  his  room, 
where  he  always  reads  before  breakfast :  here  we  had 
a  little  serious  talk  about  his  affairs  and  prospects,  which 
he  considers  in  the  most  rational,  manly,  and  respectable 
way.  He  then  in  the  most  kind  and  flattering  manner 
recommended  some  stiff  theological  reading,  as  occupa- 
tion worthy,  as  he  said,  of  my  active  mind.  I  gave  him 
simply  and  entirely  my  creed,  and  the  only  reason  why  I 
feared  such  reading  might  not  sufficiently  interest  my 
mind,  viz.,  because  I  have  no  doubts  to  solve,  and  my 
entire  and  perfect  confidence  in  the  dispensations  of  an 
all-merciful  Creator,  makes  all  lesser  points,  all  subsequent 


1810]  LETTEE  TO   MB.    GKEATHEAD.  437 

arrangements,  wonderfully  indifferent  to  me.  I  cannot 
much  interest  myself  in  the  truth  of  this  or  that  dogma, 
or  the  authenticity  of  this  or  that  story.  Whether  true 
or  false,  they  can  in  nothing  shake  my  faith,  my  hopes, 
and  my  conviction.  He  entirely  entered  into,  agreed,  and 
was  satisfied  with  what  I  said,  but  still  repeated  his  wish 
I  should  read  upon  that  subject. 

Saturday,  27th. — Went  to  town. 

Sunday,  Nov.  kth. — Called  on  Mrs.  Howe  ;  found  her 
looking  thin  and  in  very  low  spirits  about  the  melancholy 
state  of  the  Eoyal  Family,  but  otherwise  quite  herself  and 
well.  Met  Lady  Donegal!,  her  sister,  and  mine,  going 
down  to  the  Queen's  house  to  make  enquiries. 

Monday,  5th. — The  post  brought  us  a  letter  from 
Eonald,  with  the  account  of  his  father's  death  on  Wednes- 
day morning  last. 

Miss  Berry's  feelings  on  this  occasion  are  detailed  in 
her  letter  to  Mr.  Greathead,  who  had  recently  lost  a 
friend. 

North  Audley  Street,  Sunday,  llth  Nov.,  1810. 

Mr  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  was  intending  to  write  to  you  when  I 
received  from  Anne  Turner,*  two  days  ago,  the  account  of  your 
poor  old  friend's  sudden  decease.  .  .  .  My  trust  and  hope  in 
yours  and  Mr.  Gr.'s  rational  minds  convinces  me  that  as  soon  as 
the  first  shock  is  over,  you  will  both  feel  with  what  a  singularly 
enviable  exit  this  good  old  soul,  full  of  years  and  honour,  has 
been  blessed,  out  of  this  suffering  world.  In  the  house  of  her 
friend  and  adopted  child,  with  every  possible  attention,  kind- 
ness, and  comfort  about  her,  she  enjoys  life  to  the  last  moment, 
goes  to  bed  in  perfect  health,  and  awakes  (for  waking  only  one 
can  call  it,  when  her  appearance  does  not  justify  even  the  sup- 
position of  a  struggle  at  parting)  in  another  state  of  existence, 
for  which  her  conduct  in  this  had  duly  prepared  her.  Such  is 
indeed  the  enthusiasm  so  beautifully  described  by  Pope — 

*  Anne  Turner,  daughter  of  Dr.  Turner,  of  Curzon  Street,  an  intimate 
friend  of  the  Miss  Berrys. 


438  MISS  BEEEY'S  JOUENAL.  [i8io 

May  death  answer,  that  tender  frame  destroy 
In  some  soft  dream,  or  ecstasy  of  joy ; 
Peaceful  sleep  out  the  Sabbath  of  the  tomb, 
And  wake  to  rapture  in  a  life  to  come. 

This  I  am  sure  will,  after  a  short  time,  have  its  due  effect  upon 
you,  but  it  can  neither  alter  the  feelings  nor  raise  the  depression 
of  the  moment  .  .  .  Alas !  my  good  friend,  you  needed  not 
all  this,  in  addition  to  the  worldly  cares  which  have  lately  so 
unmeritedly  fallen  upon  you.  Would  to  heaven  I  could  in  any 
way  contribute  to  the  alleviation  of  your  feelings !  You  know 
that  death  has  lately  visited  our  family,  but  with  a  very  differ- 
ent aspect  from  that  he  put  on  to  your  good  old  friend.  My 
uncle  was  seized  yesterday  fortnight,  suddenly,  while  dressing 
for  dinner,  with  an  attack  both  of  palsy  and  apoplexy  together ; 
from  the  first  the  medical  people  said  there  was  no  hope;  he 
remained  all  Sunday  totally  insensible,  and  as  if  asleep.  On 
Monday  he  recovered,  in  a  degree,  his  speech  and  senses ;  he  did 
not  know  that  Sunday  was  passed,  but  asked  much  for  Eobert, 
spoke  kindly  of  him,  and  was  anxious  to  see  him.  This  happi- 
ness he  was  denied,  for  he  expired  on  the  Wednesday  morning. 
.  .  .  Ronald  was  with  him  at  the  time  of  the  seizure,  but  the 
express  he  sent  for  his  brother  only  got  to  him  in  Yorkshire  on 
the  Tuesday,  so  that  the  news  of  his  father's  death  met  Robert 
in  Edinburgh  .  .  .  The  state  of  public  affairs,  and  the  me- 
lancholy situation  of  the  Royal  Family,  were  it  not  for  one's  own 
private  concerns,  one  should  think  sufficiently  agitating.  The 
King's  determined  illness,  its  probable  event,  and  all  its  con- 
sequences, must,  in  one  way  or  other,  interest  every  mortal,  and 
either  by  oneself  or  one's  friends,  cast  a  degree  of  uncertainty 
over  everybody's  plans.  A  regency,  in  all  cases  the  worst  pos- 
sible edition  of  the  government  it  administers,  hangs  over  our 
heads,  in  circumstances  o*  particular  difficulty  and  danger,  and 
certainly  without  a  single  countervailing  advantage  to  meet  them. 

The  letter  from  Sir  Wm.  Gell,  at  Lisbon,  was  on  its 
way  to  Miss  Berry  at  this  period. 

From  Sir  W.  Gell  to  the  Miss  Berrys. 

November  9,  1810. 

MY  DEAR  LADIES, — Though  I  am  not  aware  that  I  can  say  any- 
thing which  will  entertain  you  on  the  very  dark  and  gloomy 


1810]  LETTER   PROM   SIR  W.   GELL.  439 

day  on  which  you  receive  this  epistle,  yet  I  have  a  fancy  for 
writing  to  you;  so  pray  call  for  a  candle,  for  'tis  too  dark  to  see 
without,  and  try  to  get  through  it.  You  have,  as  I  am  just  in- 
formed, heard  from  my  companion  the  events  of  our  voyage, 
and  your  imaginations  can  easily  supply  the  horrors  attending  it, 
as  well  as  the  delight  of  getting  on  shore  with  a  fine  clear  air  and 
roasting  sun  after  the  operation.  Lady  Charlotte  will  also  give 
you  some  hints  which  I  sent  to  her  on  my  first  arrival.  Since 
that  time  I  have  been  to  the  wars — if  wars  they  can  be  called, 
for  at  present  the  situation  of  our  army  is  that  of  country 
gentlemen  in  houses  which  look  as  if  the  inhabitants  had  built 
them  on  purpose  for  the  occasion,  and  kindly  left  them  to  us. 
I  went  with  Captain  Beresford,  the  brother  of  the  grand  mar- 
shal, in  one  of  those  delectable  carriages  which  I  have  described 
to  my  Lady  Charlotte.  A  person  in  a  large  cocked  hat,  in  royal 
livery,  drove,  and  another  was  mounted  behind.  The  distance 
may  be  about  twenty-three  miles,  and  about  half  way  we  had  a 
relay  of  more  monsters  and  fresh  mules.  Here,  in  justice  to  the 
Portagooses,  I  must  stop  to  say  that  they  are  by  no  means 
the  monsters  represented  by  your  friend  '  the  black-eyed,'  for 
he  would  be  a  fright  even  here.  On  the  contrary,  the  'Gruese 
have  fine  eyes,  very  intelligent  countenances,  and  the  most  beau- 
tiful teeth  in  the  world ;  besides  which,  they  are  very  civil  and 
obliging,  and  all  the  horrors  related  of  them  and  their  persons 
belong  only  to  the  rich  and  great.  After  this  episode,  I 
must  tell  you  that  such  a  system  of  ups  and  downs  never  was 
undergone.  Take  a  newspaper  and  crumple  it  in  your  hand — 
that  is  a  map  of  the  country.  Then  the  roads  are  large  stones 
with  large  holes  between  them,  and  sometimes  a  descent  between 
two  rocks  not  wide  enough  to  admit  the  carriage,  yet  with  all  this, 
and  more  horrors  than  can  be  descried,  the  mules  crept  along 
very  well,  and  the  carriage  jumbled  after  them  just  as  if  it  had 
been  ever  so  good.  In  about  six  hours  we  arrived  at  Capateria, 
Marshal  Beresford's,  twenty-two  miles.  It  is  a  lone  house  by 
the  road  side,  covered  with  tall  trees,  and  remains  a  lone  house 
in  appearance,  though  there  are  fifty  people  in  it  and  around  it, 
from  the  nature  of  the  place.  It  was  my  good»£»rtune  to  meet 
with  Lord  Wellington,  the  greatest  man  in  his  day,  at  dinner, 
the  very  first  day.  He  is  no  other  than  a  Bonaparte,  so  strong 
a  likeness,  but  with  better  colour ;  and  more  animation  and 


440  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [mo 

merriment  I  never  saw.     He  has  none  of  the  airs  of  a  great  man 
at  the  head  of  100,000  men — all  life  and  good  humour.     I  also 
met  El  Marquis  Komana,*  whom  I  very  much  wished  to  see,  and 
was  quite  astonished  to  find  how  well,  first  of  all,  he  talks  Eng- 
lish,  and  afterwards,  what  a  fund  of  information,  not  to  say 
learning,  the  little  wretch  has.     I  talked  a  great  deal  to  him, 
and  called  on  him  the  next  morning.     As  to  his  figure,  such  a 
gig  was  never  seen — a  little  yellow  tailor,  smothered  in  waist- 
coat lapels,  with  a  blue  coat  bordered  with  broad  gold  lace,  very 
full  at  top,  and  coming  below  to  a  very  narrow  waist,  the  pic- 
ture of  one's  great-grandfather.     He  is  very  lively  and  good- 
humoured,  and  entirely  without  humbug.     In  the  morning  the 
Marshal  lent  me  a  nag  on  which  I  visited  the  lines  and  fort,  for, 
be  it  known  to  you  that  our  people  are  invisible  to  the  French, 
having  ridges  in  front,  and  occupying  in  general  villages  and 
quintes  or  garden-houses  on  the  west  of  it,  some  miles  distant. 
These  ridges  are  so  high  that  we  overlook  the  French  in  all 
parts,  but  they  lie  dispersed  in  tents,  generally  in  different  parts 
of  the  country  below.     Junot's  camp  is,  as  I  think,  five  or  six 
miles  distant,  though  our  advanced  sentries  and  theirs  speak. 
The  consequence  is,  that  they  cannot  attack  us  without  several 
hours'  previous  notice,  in  any  force.     Our  people  are  quite  con- 
fident, and  this  is  certain,  that  the  French  are  at  least  twice 
outnumbered  by  the  allies  for  the  present.     Their  communica- 
tions are  and  have  been  long  entirely  cut  off,  and  they  have  no 
means  of  sending  any  intelligence  of  their  situation,  as  the  mes- 
senger has  always  been  intercepted.     The  last,  a  Portuguese, 
who  spoke  Spanish  well,  and  who  agreed  for  the  promise  of  a 
colonelcy  to  undertake  to  carry  a  despatch.     What  is  singular, 
a  deserter  told  us  this  at  Marshal  Beresford's,  and  yesterday  I 
heard  just  such  a  man  had  been  taken  with  a  letter  about  his 
commission  to  that  effect.     Upon  the  whole,  the  situation  of 
things  is  quite  the  reverse  of  what  is  imagined  in  England. 
You  would  think  Lisbon  as  quiet  as  any  place  could  be  with 
operas  and  plays  every  night ;  but  the  camp  is  a  still  more 

*  Marquis  de  la  Romana,  general  in  the  war  of  the  Spaniards  against 
Napoleon.  He  was  the  first  to  suggest  the  idea  of  arming  the  peasantry,  and 
forming  the  guerillas.  In  this  way,  as  well  as  by  his  personal  services  in  the 
field,  Romana  played  an  important  part  in  maintaining  the  independence  of 
Spain.  Died  1811. — Popular  Encyclopaedia. 


1810]  ILLNESS   OF   GEORGE   III.  441 

curious  species  of  tranquillity ;  everybody  seems  to  do  as  they 
like ;  people  ride  all  over  the  country ;  many  officers  come  to 
Lisbon.  Lord  Wellington  goes  to  Mafra  and  gives  a  grand 
dinner  and  ball,  and  in  short  all  seems  like  peace ;  but,  I  believe, 
underhand,  everything  is  so  well  settled,  foreseen,  managed,  and 
planned,  that  every  one  knows  what  is  to  be  done  at  a  moment's 
warning,  and  under  all  possible  circumstances.  I  returned  on 
horseback,  and  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  wonderful 
strength  which  nature  and  art  have  united  to  form  our  system 
of  defence,  should  even  our  first  line  be  broken.  Not  a  turn  of 
the  road  but  you  find  two  or  three  hills,  each  mounted  with 
guns,  placed  in  forts  bearing  upon  you  in  all  directions.  Lisbon 
is  certainly  a  better  place  than  Madrid  or  any  city  in  Spain,  and 
more  like  Italy.  The  language  is  too  shocking  a  corruption  of 
Spanish  '  os  Reis  de  Portugal  nao  sao  tdo  (non  sono  tanto) 
absolutes  como  os  de  Hespanha.'  In  this  specimen  nao  sao 
tdo  are  pronounced  nawn  sawn  tawn,  as  much  like  a  cat  as  pos- 
sible, and  your  friend  Sousa  is  called  Soysa.  The  plays  are  very 
entertaining,  and  the  singing  in  them  very  good.  The  gro- 
tesque dancing,  too,  I  really  believe  the  best  in  Europe ;  we  go 
almost  every  night  to  something  of  the  kind.  To-night  'II 
Barbiere  de  Sevilla,'  a  most  capital  buffo,  Varancio,  or  some  such 
name.  The  Queen  of  Spain  had  a  passion  for  him,  so  we  are 
persuading  him  to  come  to  England  to  try  his  fortune.  Pray 
tell  Mercer  it  is  very  absurd  of  him  not  to  come,  as  both  his 
brethren  are  here.  Douglas  Mercer,  by-the-by,  who  ought  to 
be  at  Cadiz,  chose  to  come  here,  and  got  two  fingers  broken ;  but 
he  is  now  almost  recovered  of  that,  and  looks  very  well ;  we  see 
him  almost  every  day.  Adieu. — Most  truly  and  affectionately 
yours, 

ANACHARSIS. 

Adml.  Berkeley  saw  a  play,  *  The  death  of  Captain  Cook,'  in 
the  Isles  of  the  Hottentots. 

Monday,  12th. — Walked  with  Lady  Donegall  and  her 
sister  through  the  park  to  St.  James's,  to  enquire  after  the 
King ;  the  names  written  down  in  the  presence  chamber, 
and  the  Lord  in  Waiting  (Lord  C.  Spencer)  sitting  in  the 
room.  Nobody  with  him  when  we  went  in,  and  not  a 
great  crowd  in  the  other  rooms. 


MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

Tuesday,  13th. — Walked  to  St.  James's :  the  crowd 
great  in  all  the  rooms,  and  a  stream  going  up  and 
down  stairs,  chiefly  men.  Saw  a  number  of  people  I 
knew. 

Thursday,  15th. — Accepted  Mr.  Hope's  proposal  of 
going  with  him  to  Brighton. 

Saturday,  17th. — Mr.  Hope  came  soon  after  eleven.  It 
was  a  fine  sunny  day,  well  calculated  to  raise  one's  spirits 
when  travelling  comfortably  in  a  chaise  and  four.  But  I 
was  out  of  spirits  with  myself.  My  companion,  always 
acute  and  intelligent  in  a  tete-a-tete,  was  another  circum- 
stance in  my  favour ;  but  all  did  not  do.  We  arrived  at 
Brighton  in  the  dark  and  the  rain  at  half-past  five. 

Tuesday,  20th. — We  drove  to  the  West  Cliff.  The  ex- 
tent of  Brighton  along  the  cliff  to  the  Crescent,  the  fur- 
thest houses  on  the  East  Cliff,  cannot  be  much  less  than 
two  miles.  Went  to  the  play  ('The  Kivals,'  and  the 
4  Agreeable  Surprise'),  which  had  been  bespoken.  The 
house  was  more  than  three  parts  empty ;  and  the  company 
in  the  Prince's  box,  which  is  always  given  to  the  lady  who 
bespeaks  the  play,  talked  so  loud  by  way  of  being  so  very 
genteel,  that  one  could  hardly  hear  the  players. 

Friday,  23rd. — Walked  with  Mr.  Ward;*  his  obser- 
vations are  always  acute,  often  droll.  But  there  is  nil 
grande  in  that  man ;  and  with  a  keen  and  too  accurate 
observation  of  the  littlenesses  and  vanities  of  others,  he 
is,  if  I  am  not  much  mistaken,  overcharged  with  both 
himself. 

Sunday,  25th. — In  the  evening  had  some  conversation 
with  Mr.  Grattan.  His  manner  is  singular,  with  much 
action,  and  his  pronunciation,  without  being  Irish,  so  very 
foreign  that  nobody  at  first  could  possibly  take  him  for  a 
native  of  these  islands ;  his  language  is  good,  however, 
and  his  choice  of  words  figurative,  and  out  of  the  com- 

*  The  Hon.  John  William  Ward,  son  of  Viscount  Dudley  and  Ward  j 
created  Earl  of  Dudley  in  1827  ;  died  1833. 


1810]  THE   ONLY   CHURCH  AT   BRIGHTON.  443 

mon  way ;  but  his  manner  upon  the  whole  in  society  is 
much  more  odd  than  pleasant.* 

Monday,  2Qth — Went  with  Mrs.  Hope  to  the  church  on 
the  hill  above  the  town.  It  is  crowded  with  tablets  and 
monuments  within,  and  tombstones  without ;  in  short,  the 
town  and  its  inhabitants  have  fairly  outgrown  their  church, 
for  there  is  but  one  here.f 

Wednesday,  28th. — Had  a  long  talk  with  Lord  and 
Lady  Conningham  on  horseback,  and  met  Du  Cane,  just 
arrived.  Questioned  him  about  the  King  of  Sweden,  who, 
immediately  after  his  landing,  had  been  brought  to  his 
father's  house.  Went  to  Mrs.  Grattan's,|  where  there  was 
music  by  the  Miss  Burgoynes  and  Miss  Grattans,  and  all  the 
people  assembled,  who  I  have  seen  here,  and  the  Trevors, 
who  are  just  arrived.  Mrs.  Grattan,  from  lameness,  is 
always  seated,  but  a  more  pleasing  woman  of  past  fifty, 
both  in  appearance  and  manner,  I  never  saw.  She  has 
been  a  beauty,  an  expressive  beauty  of  that  sort  of  which 
age  never  can  obliterate  the  traces,  and  has  a  manner  of 
speaking  particularly  sweet  and  interesting,  without  the 
smallest  tincture  of  affectation.  As  to  her  husband,  from 
having  seen  him  only  in  company,  which  does  not  draw 
him  out,  the  singularity  of  his  manner  is  still  with  me 
more  prominent  than  his  agreeableness  in  conversation. 

The  Princess  of  Wales's  kind  letter  of  enquiry  after  her 

*  The  Rt.  Hon.  Henry  Grattan,  born  1746.  In  1772  he  was  called  to  the 
Irish  bar.  In  1775  he  took  his  seat  in  the  Irish  House  of  Commons,  and 
from  that  time  his  life  was  identified  with  the  history  of  Ireland.  In  1805 
he  sat  for  Malton  in  the  English  House  of  Commons.  He  died  in  1820 ; 
his  remains  were  interred  at  Westminster  Abbey.  On  moving  the  writ  to 
fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  his  death,  Sir  James  Mackintosh  described  Mr. 
Grattan  as  one  of  the  few  individual  men  whose  personal  virtues  were 
rewarded  by  public  favour,  and  as  one  as  eminent  in  his  observances  of  all 
the  duties  of  private  life  as  heroic  in  the  discharge  of  his  public  obligations. 

f  There  are  now  at  Brighton  eighteen  places  of  worship  connected  with 
the  Established  Church. 

|  Henrietta  Fitzgerald,  descendant  of  the  Earls  of  Desmond,  married 
Henry  Grattan,  1782. — Imp.  Diet,  of  Unto.  Hiog, 


444  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [mo 

friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  WHI.  Locke,  who  had  just  sustained 
the  loss  of  a  child,  was  received  and  answered  by  Miss 
Berry  at  the  close  of  her  visit  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope. 

From  the  Princess  of  Wales  to  Miss  Berry. 

Kensington  Palace,  Nov.  26, 1810. 

My  anxiety  is  so  great  on  account  of  the  poor  Lockes,  since 
the  melancholy  event  of  the  death  of  their  youngest  child,  that 
I  am  induced  to  commit,  perhaps,  an  indiscretion  in  intruding 
on  your  leisure  hours,  my  dear  Miss  Berry ;  but  trusting  to 
your  usual  good  nature,  and  our  sentiments  concerning  them 
being  so  congenial,  you  will  comprehend  my  solicitude.  I  in- 
trust into  your  hands,  and  to  your  sound  judgment,  the  manner 
how  best  to  convey  from  my  part  everything  that  is  kind  and 
soothing  to  them  :  consolation  it  is  impossible  to  offer  them  on 
such  a  painful  occasion,  but  it  is  time  alone  that  can  cure  so 
great  an  affliction. 

Let  us  waive  this  melancholy  topic,  and  rejoice  together  at 
the  happy  prospect  of  our  beloved  Monarch's  recovery.  We 
may  now  trust  that  that  storm  which  passed  over  our  heads  will 
be  dispersed  for  a  number  and  number  of  years ;  it  must  be  the 
fervent  wish  of  every  individual,  but  especially  that  of  one  of 
his  first  subjects. 

I  look  forward  with  great  pleasure  to  the  period  which  will 
enable  me  again  to  enjoy  your  agreeable  society. 

I  wish  to  be  remembered  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope  ;  and  do  me 
the  justice  to  believe  me,  for  ever, 

My  dear  Miss  Berry, 

Your  very  sincere  and  affectionate, 

C.  P. 

P.S. — I  am  much  shocked  and  grieved  at  the  melancholy 
event  of  poor  Lady  Aberdeen.*  I  trust  that  she  will  feel  no 
bad  effect  from  this  sad  disappointment,  for  nobody  deserves 
more  respect  and  admiration  than  she  does,  by  those  who  have 
the  happiness  of  being  intimately  acquainted  with  her. 

*  Catherine  Elizabeth,  eldest  surviving  daughter  of  John  James  first 
Marquis  of  Abercorn.  She  died  February,  1812. 


1810]  REPLY  TO   THE   PRINCESS  OP  WALES.  445 

From  Miss  Berry  to  the  Princess  'of  Wales. 

Brighton,  27th  Nov.,  1810. 

MADAM, — I  have  conveyed  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Locke  *  the  senti- 
ments of  which  your  Royal  Highness  has  honoured  me  with 
being  the  interpreter.  They  must  themselves  express  their 
gratitude,  and  the  high  sense  they  entertain  of  your  Royal 
Highness's  benevolent  solicitude.  I  confess  I  could  use  no 
words  at  once  so  impressive  and  so  soothing  as  those  of  your 
Royal  Highness.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  Mrs.  Locke's  health 
has  not  suffered  by  her  constant,  painful,  and  unwearied  atten- 
dance on  her  children,  and  that  the  remaining  twof  are  entirely 
recovered.  This  I  have  been  obliged  to  content  myself  with 
hearing  by  report,  and  by  notes  that  have  passed  between  us, 
for  I  have  been  under  such  strict  quarantine  here  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hope,  from  the  dread  of  a  possibility  of  infection  to  their 
children,  that  I  have  only  had  two  short  interviews  with  William, 
and  that  in  the  open  air.  ...  I  have  had  the  happiness  to 
find  myself  here,  Madam,  surrounded  by  some  of  your  Royal 
Highness's  most  devoted  admirers.  Mr.  Ward,  Sir  W.  Drum- 
mond,  Mr.  Rogers,  Lord  and  Lady  Aberdeen,  are  those  with 
whom  I  have  been  living ;  and,  though  last,  not  least,  my  kind 
hosts  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope,  who  desire  me  to  express  to  your 
Royal  Highness  their  gratitude  for  the  honour  of  your  enquiry 
after  them.  Mrs.  Hope  has,  I  think,  quite  recovered  her  health 
here.  Her  best  comfort,  under  the  loss  of  her  little  girl,  is  the 
daily  improvement  of  your  Royal  Highness's  little  godson,  who 
is  really  one  of  the  finest  children  of  his  age  I  ever  saw.  Lady 
Aberdeen,  I  am  happy  to  say,  is  going  on  as  well  as  possible, 
after  her  very  unexpected  confinement.  .  .  .  Lord  Aberdeen 
certainly  bears  his  disappointment  remarkably  well.  .  .  .  The 
sentiments  which  your  Royal  Highness  expresses  upon  the  pros- 
pect of  his  Majesty's  recovery,  must  be  those  of  everyone  worthy 
the  happiness  of  being  his  subject,  by  having  a  due  sense  of  the 
blessings  of  his  reign.  .  .  . 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Madam,  your  Royal  Highness's  most 
grateful  and  most  obedient  Servant, 

M.  B. 

*  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Locke,  of  Norbury. 

f  Mr.  William  Locke,  drowned  in  the  Lake  of  Como ;  and  Elizabeth, 
married,  1822,  to  the  Lord  Wallscourt. 


446  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isio 

J  0  U  E  N  A  L. 

Thursday,  Nov.  29$. — Eeturned  to  London. 

Tuesday,  Dec.  4$. — Went  to  Wimpole. 

Wednesday,  5$. — Walked  to  the  garden,  and  to  the 
dairy  and  the  farm.  Somehow  or  other,  the  garden  is 
never  in  very  nice  order  here :  the  dairy  is  not  much 
more  finished  than  when  I  was  here  last  year.  Poor 
souls !  no  wonder  that  everything  has  been  at  a  stand 
lately,  and  that  nothing  goes  on  with  the  same  heart  as 
formerly ! 

Saturday,  8$. — Began  cutting  down  the  trees,  and 
clearing  away  about  the  reservoir,  the  only  building  in 
real  good  taste  about  this  place.  It  is  like  a  Eoman 
sepulchre,  and  will  look  well  when  no  longer  choked  up 
with  trees — two  beautiful  yews  behind  and  a  fine  cedar 
in  front  excepted. 

Thursday,  13$. — Left  Wimpole,  and  returned  to 
North  Audley  Street.  In  the  evening  Mr.  Thornton 
came,  at  ten  o'clock,  and  told  us  what  had  been  doing  in 
the  House  of  Commons. 

Saturday,  15$ — Lord  Hardwicke  brought  the  news  of 
Lucien  Bonaparte  and  all  his  family  having  landed  at 
Falmouth  *  from  one  of  our  frigates,  which  brought  them 
from  Malta. 

Sunday,  16$. — Walked  with  Lady  Donegall  down  to 
the  palace.  Very  few  people  there,  and  still  fewer 
women. 

*  If  Lord  Hardwicke's  information  was  right,  Lucien  and  his  family  must 
have  re-embarked  for  Plymouth  :  —  l  Dec.  18.  —  Lucien  Bonaparte,  his 
family  and  suite,  landed  this  afternoon  at  the  Victualling  Office,  Plymouth, 
and  proceeded  to  the  "  King's  Arms,"  accompanied  by  Sir  Robert  Calder 
(the  Port  Admiral),  General  England,  Lord  Boringdon,  and  several  naval 
and  military  officers.  Lucien  is  described  as  a  man  about  fifty,  of  pale  sallow 
complexion,  intelligent  countenance,  and  gentlemanlike  appearance,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  "  a  stout  handsome  woman,"  and  by  his  five  daughters 
and  two  sons.' — Annual  Register.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  they  visited 
Saltram,  the  seat  of  Lord  Boringdon,  afterwards  first  Earl  of  Morley. 


1810]  MRS.  CHOLMELEY'S  DEATH.  447 

Thursday,  27th. — Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay  called.  We 
walked  down  to  the  palace ;  no  crowd  there.  Lord 
St.  Helens  in  waiting,  and  giving  up  almost  all  hopes — 
of  senses,  I  suppose,  was  meant. 

Monday,  3lst. — Lord  Aberdeen  called  upon  me  in  the 
morning,  and  promised  to  come  from  the  House  of 
Commons  and  tell  us  what  was  doing;  which  he  did,  but 
at  past  twelve,  when  we  were  all  gone  up-stairs.  He 
wrote  down  the  divisions  in  his  carriage,  and  sent  them 
up.  I  felt  quite  well  all  day,  which  I  have  not  done 
since  my  attack  at  Wimpole,  and  blessed  Heaven  that 
the  last  day  of  the  year  ended  in  health  and  cheerful- 
ness. 

It  was  in  the  course  of  this  year  that  Miss  Berry  lost 
her  friend  and  correspondent  Mrs.  Cholmeley.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  some  reflections  on  the  year  thus 
alludes  to  that  event,  though  without  the  precise  date  of 
its  occurrence. 

Mrs.  Cholmeley 's  death  recalls  to  me  in  a  melancholy 
manner  many  passages  in  my  own  past  life,  and  forcibly 
reminds  me  how  little  of  that  life  probably  remains 
to  me.  This,  God  knows,  I  call  not  melancholy,  but 
consoling.  ...  I  became  acquainted  with  her  in  the 
year  1785,  when  I  was  twenty- two,  and  was  just  returned 
from  having  been  plunged  for  two  years  into  the  great 
world  of  Europe,  from  the  most  perfect  retirement  in 
England. 


448  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 


,.;    JOURNAL. 
1811. 

Tuesday,  January  1st. — After  we  were  gone  up-stairs, 
Harrot  *  brought  me  up  a  paper,  with  the  division  in  the 
House  of  Commons  of  thirteen  against  the  ministers,  on 
the  proposed  restrictions  of  the  Kegency,f  and  said  Mr. 
Thornton  was  in  the  drawing-room.  I  went  down ;  the 
fire  was  out,  and  he  looked,  in  his  great  coat,  the  picture 
of  cold  and  fatigue,  yet  we  had  a  talk  on  politics  of  near 
half  an  hour.  The  Duke  of  Cumberland,  that  arch  in- 
triguer, has  been  tampering  with  him,  and  persuaded 
him  to  vote  against  the  ministers,  those  very  ministers 
which  this  Duke  of  Cumberland  intrigued  to  bring  in. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  Charles  Stuart,  Esq., 
H.B.MSs  Minister  Plenipotentiary  at  Lisbon. 

London,  2nd  Jan.  1811. 

The  enclosed  might  have  gone  under  cover  to  Admi  Berke- 
ley, or  might  have  found  its  way  without  any  cover  at  all ;  but  I 
have  chosen  to  plague  you  with  it,  that  I  might  at  the  same 
time  recall  myself  to  your  memory,  and  tell  you  that  if  your 
presence  is  as  much  wanted  in  Portugal  as  your  absence  is 
regretted  here,  we  shall  never  get  you  home  again. 

*  Harrot  was  the  name  of  Miss  Berry's  maid. 

t  Mr.  Percival  (first  minister),  Mr.  Ryder,  Lord  Castlereagh,  Lord  Sid- 
mouth,  Lord  Westmoreland,  Lord  Melville,  Lord  Eldon,  Lord  Liverpool,  &c. 
This  defeat  of  ministers  was  on  an  amendment,  moved  by  Earl  Gower, 
to  the  Fifth  Resolution  respecting  the  Regency,  being  that  which  gave  to 
the  Queen  the  care  of  the  King's  person,  and  the  power  of  appointment  and 
removal  of  persons  in  the  several  offices  of  the  household,  and  proposing 
also  that  a  Council  should  be  appointed  to  advise  and  assist  her  Majesty. — 

Hansards  Debates. 


1811]  DEFEAT   OP   MINISTERS.  449 

Perhaps  you  think  (considering  only  the  importance  of  the 
business)  that  we  are  here  all  intent  on  the  affairs  of  Portugal, 
impatient  for  the  arrival  of  a  mail  from  Lisbon,  aDQ  hanging 
with  fearful  expectation  upon  the  event  of  this  last  struggle  for 
the  expiring  liberties  of  Europe — upon  this  last  stand  against 
the  conqueror  of  the  western  world,  &c.  &c.  You  are  quite 
mistaken,  we  are  thinking  of  nothing  but  regencies  and  restric- 
tions, whether  by  bill  or  by  address,  and  one  half  of  us  are  as 
triumphant  this  morning  at  having  beaten  the  ministers  last 
night  by  a  majority  of  thirteen,  as  we  should  have  been  if  you 
and  Lord  Wellington,  tarn  arte  quam  marts,  had  beaten 
Massena. 

To  say  the  truth,  I  have  a  notion  that  this  defeat  of  ministers 
is  somewhat  of  a  ruse  de  guerre  on  their  part.  I  know  that 
the  Prince  of  Wales  three  days  ago  intended  to  keep  them  all 
in,  and  I  rather  suspect  that  this  knowledge  prevented  what 
the  sailors  call  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull  altogether. 
However,  they  have  managed  their  matters  very  ill,  as  usual, 
for  the  Prince  is  now,  or  pretends  to  be,  much  affronted.  They 
are  all  to  resign  as  soon  as  the  bill  is  passed,  and  they  say  their 
resignations  will  be  accepted.  But,  at  all  events,  these 'delays, 
whether  intended  or  not,  may  very  possibly  put  an  end  to  any 
regency  and  any  restrictions. 

By  what  I  hear  to-day,  I  expect  that  just  as  the  Prince  is 
ready  to  step  into  his  new  title,  the  King  will  be  ready  to  govern 
us  just  as  he  has  done  before,  and  will  be  declared  by  his  phy- 
sicians well  enough,  that  is  to  say,  mad  enough,  to  wish  to 
retain  the  government. 

Saturday,  bth. — Before  dinner,  Matthew  Montague,  Sir 
John  Sebright,  and  Lord  Hardwicke  met  here.  Matthew's 
account  of  one  of  the  divisions  in  the  House  of  Commons 
most  laughable. 

Sunday,  Qth. — Had  a  long  conversation  with  Mr  S. 
Turner  in  my  room  on  the  subject  of  the  report  of  the 
Bullion  Committee.  His  ideas  have  on  some  points  cleared 
up,  and  on  some  confirmed,  my  own.  But  the  subject  is 
more  involved  in  difficulties  than  one  at  first  imagines, 
from  the  very  extraordinary  circumstances  in  which  the 

VOL.  II.  G  G 


450  MISS  BERKY'S  JOURNAL. 

very  extraordinary  times  have  placed  commerce,  as  well 
everything  else,  and  therefore  it  requires  a  more  steady 
and  frequent  recurrence  to  first  principles  to  keep  one's 
understanding  clear. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Charles  Stuart,  Esq.,  to  Miss  Berry. 

Lisbon,  9th  January,  1811. 

.  .  .  .  I  am  sorry  the  public  attention  is  directed  rather 
to  parish  business  in  England  than  to  the  observation  of  the 
events  which  are  going  forward  in  this  country.  It  is  not 
Portugal  merely  we  are  defending,  but  we  are  training  and 
forming  an  army  accustomed  to  war  on  the  great  scale,  and  on 
whom  we  probably  shall  one  day  rely  for  the  security  of  our 
firesides,  though  to  most  people  that  is  a  more  interesting 
subject  than  it  is  to  me,  whose  fireside  is  always  in  some  other 
part  of  the  world. 

On  this  ground  I  should  be  sorry  that  any  change  in  England 
induced  people  to  give  up  the  game  here.  We  have  a  fair  equal 
chance,  and  if  the  new  or  the  old  minister  will  allow  us  to 
fight  it  out,  I  am  very  well  convinced  that  we  shall  get  through 
the  business,  more  honourably  and  more  advantageously  than 
we  have  any  reason  to  expect.  I  hope  you  will  not  be  uneasy 
about  the  brothers  and  husbands,  and  cousins,  whose  fate 
would  depend  on  this  determination :  such  considerations  usually 
have  more  influence  in  ladies'  politics  than  any  calculations  of 
the  chances  attendant  on  the  different  contingencies  which  may 
occur. 

Saturday,  I2th. — Dined  at  Mrs.  Darner's  with  M.  De 
Brehan,  the  Frenchman  who  has  brought  her  the  present 
of  a  fine  cup  and  saucer  from  the  Empress  Josephine.* 

*  In  the  work  entitled  '  Queens  of  Society,'  before  alluded  to  as  misrepre- 
senting the  reception  of  Mrs.  Darner  at  Paris  in  1802,  this  gift  of  porcelain 
is  also  affixed  to  a  wrong  date.  Mrs.  Darner  is  there  mentioned  as  visitino- 
Paris  in  the  year  1779,  when  '  she  was  introduced  to  the  beautiful  and 
witty  Josephine  Beauhamais,  then  a  leader  of  fashion  in  that  city,  and  their 
acquaintance  had  ripened  into  friendship,'  that  '  she  heard  no  more  of  Jose- 
phine till  one  day  a  French  gentleman  called  upon  her  with  a  fine  piece  of 
porcelain  cind  a  letter  of  introduction  from  the  First  Consul's  wife ;  that 
Napoleon  was  anxious  to  conciliate  the  Whigs,  and  that  Mrs.  Darner  set  out 


1811]  M.    DE   BRfiHAM.  451 

He  appears  by  his  conversation  and  manners,  which  are 
unaffected,  to  be  something  above  the  rank  of  an  upper 
servant — a  decent  person  employed  in  commissions,  &c. 
He  comes  here  with  a  great  order  to  Lee  and  Kennedy, 
for  plants  for  the  said  Empress ;  whether  he  brings  a 
liquidation  of  her  long  account  with  them,  I  know  not. 
He  has  a  mother  and  an  uncle  settled  here,  who  live 
together  at  Hampstead.  The  uncle  is  no  other  than  that 
M.  de  Montier  or  Monstier,  who  was  the  first  French 
agent  to  motive  the  peace  of  1783,  before  Reyneval  was 
sent  here.  He  crossed  from  Dieppe  to  Gravesend  as  was 
intended,  but  by  stress  of  weather  was  allowed  to  land  at 
Margate.  He,  or  anybody  else  leaving  France  for  this 
country,  must  have  a  particular  passport,  signed  twice  by 
the  Emperor's  own  hand. 

Tuesday r,  ~Lbth. — Found  Miss  C.  Fanshawe  at  home ; 
half  her  formality,  I  believe,  depends  upon  the  family  to 
which  she  belongs.  We  are  half  of  us  the  creatures  of 
circumstances ;  or  rather,  the  half-marred,  half-made  crea- 
tures of  circumstance. 

Wednesday,  Iftth. — Went  to  Little  Strawberry. 

Saturday,  19<A. — Upon  the  terrace  before  my  little 
green-house  the  sun  was  quite  warm,  and  all  the  double 
violets  upon  the  bank  ready  to  blow ;  how  occupied  and 
happy  I  could  be  for  many  an  hour  in  such  a  scene !  but 
I  am  quite  aware  that  in  my  particular  circumstances  I 
have  nothing  to  do  but  to  leave  it,  and  forget  it  as  soon 
as  I  can. 

Monday,  21.<tf. — Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay  proposed  from 
the  Priory  our  acting  with  them,  which  I  begged  her  in 
the  most  civil  manner  to  refuse  on  my  part,  my  health 
alone  a  more  than  sufficient  apology :  but  if  it  were  not, 

for  Paris  after  the  Peace  of  Amiens,  &c.'  It  appears  that  the  French  gen- 
tleman's visit  was  nine  years  after  Mrs.  Darner's  visit  in  1802,  -when  she  had 
little  reason  to  be  flattered  by  the  reception  given  to  her  by  the  First  Consul 
and  his  wife. 

G  G  2 


452  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

I  should  never  think  of  enlisting  in  their  troop  for  a 
thousand  reasons — distance,  time,  expense,  trouble,  and 
exhibition  to  all  London  at  Easter.  Besides  there  is  a 
time  for  every  thing. 

Friday,  February  \st. — Went  at  nine  o'clock  to  Ken- 
sington to  the  Princess  of  Wales'.  Princess  Charlotte  had 
dined  there,  and  I  was  anxious  to  see  her.  We  found  her, 
the  Princess,  the  Lady  Charlotte  Campbell  (in  waiting), 
Miss  Garth,  Miss  Hayman,  Lady  de  Clifford,  and  Sir 
William  Drunimond,*  playing  at  a  round  table  at  a  foolish 
sort  of  game,  of  calling  the  cards  by  the  name  of  Niny- 
cumtwit,  or  something  like  that.  Princess  Charlotte  was 
seated  by  her  mother,  who  named  us  to  her,  and  said  to 
us,  '  My  daughter.'  I  sat  down  by  the  Princess ;  she 
whispered  something  to  Princesss  Charlotte  about  me; 
she  answered  immediately,  '  I  know  it,  I  know  it ;  she  is 
a  great  friend  of  Mrs.  Howe.' 

A  finer  girl  of  fifteen  one  seldom  sees,  with  an  open 
lively  countenance,  and  well-cut  expressive  features ;  fair, 
like  all  her  family,  but  without  having  a  fine  complexion, 
or  at  present  any  colour,  for  by  some  inconceivable  mis- 
management at  the  time  she  had  the  small-pox,  it  has 
muddled  her  complexion,  destroyed  in  part  her  eyebrows, 
and  left  several  decided  marks  about  the  end  of  her  nose. 
I  dare  say  there  is  hardly  another  person  in  the  kingdom, 
who  within  these  last  fifteen  years  has  suffered  as  much 
by  the  small-pox,  which  only  shows  the  old  story,  how 
much  the  children  of  princes  are  neglected  and  ill-treated. 
Her  mouth  is  like  the  Prince  of  Wales's,  without  having 
however  much  sweetness,  and  her  eyes  are  by  no  means 
as  handsome  as  her  mother's.  She  is  lively,  animated, 
and  laughing ;  told  Sir  William  Drumrnond,  who  was  on 

*  Rt.  Hon.  Sir  William  Drummond,  formerly  Ambassador  to  the  Court 
of  Sicily,  the  author  of  a '  Review  of  the  Governments  of  Sparta  and  Athens,' 
1  The  Satires  of  Persius,'  &c.,  also  of  a  work,  for  private  circulation,  in  which 
he  treated  some  of  the  histories  in  the  Old  Testament  as  allegories. 


1811]  PRINCESS   CHARLOTTE.  453 

the  other  side  of  her,  to  go  on  with  what  he  was  saying, 
for  she  liked  nothing  so  much  as  politics ;  then  got  into  a 
talk  with  Lady  Charlotte  Campbell,  about  being  afraid  of 
the  dark  and  ghosts,  and  dismal  stories ;  told  a  good  one 
herself,  and  then  made  me  tell  her  the  story  of  Lillo's* 
'Fatal  Curiosity,'  which  Lady  Charlotte  mentioned,  and 
which  she  had  never  heard  of  before.  Soon  after  ten 
o'clock  her  carriage  was  announced,  and  away  she  went, 
very  cheerfully,  having  kissed  her  mother,  shook  hands 
with  Lady  Charlotte,  &c.,  and  bowed  to  us.  And  thus  is 
this  girl,  now  a  woman,  who  in  three  short  years  may  be 
called  to  reign  over  this  country,  with  all  her  senses 
awake,  eager  and  curious  about  everything  and  every- 
body, sent  away  with  her  governess,  and  during  the 

hours  not  spent  with  her,  she  has  Mrs. to  form  her 

mind,  manners,  and  disposition !  Alas !  poor  Princes, 
one  and  all,  can  you  ever  be  pitied  enough,  or  even 
judged  with  common  justice  under  all  the  disadvantages 
you  labour?  True,  this  poor  thing  is  taught  music,  and 
taught  Latin,  neither  of  which  will  certainly  be  of  much 
service  to  her  in  governing  this  country,  in  detecting  folly 
and  knavery,  in  surrounding  herself  with  talents,  and 
above  all,  in  acquiring  truth  and  stability  of  character. 
She  knows  no  creature,  but  the  Royal  Family  and  their 
attendants ;  she  has  never  yet  seen  a  play  or  an  opera ; 
and  whenever  she  is  her  own  mistress,  what  must  be  her 
first  idea  but  to  satiate  herself  with  pleasures,  which 
every  other  girl  of  fifteen  is  beginning  to  appreciate  at 
their  just  value,  provided  they  are  not  entirely  new  to 
them. 

We  remained  to  supper ;  nobody  joined  the  party,  but 
Lord  Aberdeen  and  the  Hopes,  who  did  not  arrive  till 
twelve  o'clock,  though  asked  at  nine  o'clock,  which  the 
Princess  remarked.  The  Princess,  though  lively  at  supper, 

*  George  Lillo,  a  dramatic  writer,  son  of  a  Dutch  jeweller ;  born  1693  j 
died  1739. 


454  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

and  talking  a  great  deal  to  me  about  her  memoirs,  which 
in  joke  she  said  I  should  publish,  &c.,  is  pensive,  and  not 
in  her  usual  spirits,  says  she  has  the  second-sight,  and 
sees  a  great  deal  that  is  coming,  nothing  that  anybody 
expects,  and  a  great  deal  that  nobody  thinks  of. 

Saturday,  2nd. — Went  to  the  play — '  Cato ' — in  Mrs. 
Kemble 's  box.  I  have  always  particularly,  and  in  spite 
of  all  abuse  of  it,  loved  the  piece ;  it  both  interests  and 
affects  me,  which  magnanimity  ever  does.  Kemble  acted 
well.  Young  particularly  so,  in  the  short  part  of  Portius  ; 
C.  Kemble  well  in  Juba  ;  Syphax,  by  a  man  of  the 
name  of  Egerton,  who  had  no  idea  of  the  poetry  he  was 
repeating. 

Friday,  8th. — To  Mrs.  Sotheby's,  where  was  a  sort  of 
blue-stocking  assembly,  misses  and  their  mammas  with- 
out end,  so  pleased  to  carry  them  to  a  rational  house,  and 
unite  pleasure  and  wisdom  together ! 

Sunday,  1  Oth. — Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay  called  for  me 
in  the  Princess's  carriage  to  go  to  dinner,  and  we  took  up 
Puysegur  at  Monsieur's  house  in  South  Audley  Street, 
The  party  at  dinner  were :  Lord  Gower,*  Lord  Charlemont, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hope,  Mr.  Lewis,  and  Sir  H.  England; 
Lady  Glenbervie  and  Miss  Hayman  in  waiting.  The 
Princess  did  not  look  ill,  but  really  was  so.  The  men  all 
went  away  sooner  or  later,  and  nobody  remained  to 
supper  but  myself  and  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay.  The 
Princess  quiet  and  low,  but,  to  give  her  her  due,  not  out 
of  humour. 

From  Sir  W.  Gell  to  Miss  Berry. 

Lisbon,  Feb.  2,  1811. 

MY  DEAR  FRIENDS, — If,  as  Plutarch  says,  you  really  wish  for  us 
back  again  in  England,  your  hopes  stand  some  chance  of  being 
realised,  for  we  have  this  day  taken  measures  for  bringing  about 
that  desirable  event — an  event  chiefly  rendered  necessary  by  the 

*  The  late  Duke  of  Sutherland. 


1811]  LETTER   FROM   SIR   W.    GELL.  455 

total  disorganization  of  the  system  of  finance  which  seems  to 
have  affected  us  both  at  the  same  moment.  .  .  .  So  many 
lies  are  invented  on  the  subject  of  our  situation  here,  and  we  are 
in  general  so  completely  in  the  dark  on  the  subject  of  who,  how 
many,  where  and  when,  that  I  shall  give  you  what  I  have  seen 
myself  before  I  proceed  -to  the  reigning  lies  of  the  day.  Ro- 
mana  is  dead,  and  we  went  in  the  procession  to  his  burial.  He 
was,  perhaps,  the  only  learned  man  in  his  country,  and  I  believe 
the  only  person  in  the  Peninsula  who  had  information  sufficient 
to  guide  his  judgment  beyond  the  mere  events  of  the  day.  He 
was  a  very  good  scholar — a  thing  quite  unheard  of  in  Spain ;  he 
was  very  well  read  in  history,  and  if  he  was  not  a  good  general, 
which  I  very  much  doubt,  there  is  no  hope  of  a  better  among 
the  survivors.  Moreover,  a  person  who  with  a  small  army  and 
confined  resources  can  preserve  himself  from  any  serious  defeat, 
with  20,000  enemies  in  the  country,  for  the  space  of  two  years, 
cannot  be  so  very  bad  a  commander  as  the  English  would  repre- 
sent him.  I  took  particular  pains  to  get  acquainted  with  him,  and 
think  I  never  saw  a  person  of  whom  one  has  heard  so  much,  with 
so  little  of  the  humbug  grandissima  about  him.  The  history  of 
Romana  being  concluded,  I  shall  proceed  to  inform  you  that  the 
last  lie  from  Cadiz  says  the  French  have  so  far  raised  the  siege, 
that  only  6,000  men  remain  there,  and  that  we  have  it  in  con- 
templation to  blow  them  and  their  works  up  together.  It  will 
be  the  first  time  since  the  revolution  that  the  French  have  spent 
a  whole  year  upon  a  siege  and  got  nothing  but  their  labour  for 
their  pains.  A  blind  shell,  that  is  a  shell  filled  with  lead  to 
make  it  heavier,  will  just  reach  over  the  walls  into  the  herb- 
market  at  Cadiz.  This,  however,  requires  so  much  powder,  and 
burying  the  gun  in  the  earth,  that  no  gun  can  last  long  with 
such  treatment,  while  the  shell  does  little  mischief,  being  directed, 
as  Aristotle  observes,  so  high  in  the  air  that  it  falls  down  per- 
pendicularly, and  can  only  kill  at  most  one  person  at  a  time, 
and  this,  if  indeed  anyone  is  hit,  is  at  the  expense  of  five  to  six 
pounds  a  shot.  It  appears,  however,  very  possible  that  our  ship- 
ping might  easily  be  annoyed  in  the  harbour.  As  to  Junot'a 
death  by  a  shot  in  the  face,  you  may  perhaps  hear  of  it  before 
this  reaches  you.  It  was  at  first  certain  ;  then  quite  false ;  then 
absolutely  verified ;  then  a  lie  again;  and  now  remains  uncer- 
tain, only  this  being  known,  that  a  person,  supposed  Junot,  was 


456  MISS   BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [1811 

hit  in  the  face  by  a  musket-ball,  and  fell  from  his  horse.     We 
have  taken  several  letters  which  were  to  have  been  delivered  to 
the  French.     One  from  Mrs.  Junot,  at  Ciudad  Eodrigo,  says  to 
Junot,    '  I  have  just  produced  a  son,  which  I  am  glad  of,  be- 
cause it  will  please  you.     As  to  your  ever  establishing  yourself 
at  Abrantes,  the  hope  does  not  seem  likely  ever  to  be  realised, 
so  I  shall  set  off  for  Paris,  as  the  sight  of  ten  men  per  day  car- 
ried past  my  window  to  their  graves  makes  me  melancholy ; 
and  if  I  go  to  Salamanca,  as  you  recommend,  they  tell  me  I 
shall  see  not  fewer  than  forty  burials  every  day.'     Some  of  those 
passages  which  relate  to  private  concerns,  Lord  Wellington  has 
copied  for  Junot  in  his  own  hand,  and  added  congratulations  on 
the  birth  of  the  son,  so  that  Junot  must  answer  in  his  own 
hand,  which  Lord  Wellington  knows  well,  and  thus  expects  to 
find  out  whether  he  is  killed  or  dangerously  wounded,  or  unhurt. 
As  to  what  you  see  in  newspapers  about  the  starvation  of  the 
French  at  Santarem  a  fortnight  ago,  that  is  all  false ;  indeed, 
the  event  alone  is  a  sufficient  contradiction.     Two  or  three  days 
ago,  however,  it  was  suspected  that  the  enemy  was  weakening 
his  forces  at  Santarem  by  degrees,  and  Marshal  Beresford  went 
up  the  left  bank  of  the  Tagus  to  see  that  Abrantes  was  secure 
from  any  coup-de-main  they  might  attempt  if  they  retreated 
by  that  city.     Upon  the  whole,  though  there  is  not  apparently 
the  smallest  chance  of  any  great  overthrow  of  the  French  under 
Massena,  they  do  not  seem  likely  to  be  able  to  do  anything 
against  us,  while  they  certainly  are  diminishing  very  rapidly  in 
numbers  throughout  the  Peninsula.     Perhaps  you  have  heard 
that  since  the  war  broke  out  500,000  men  have  passed  this  way 
through  Bayonne ;  and  this  account,  compared  with  the  state- 
ment of  the  French  force  in  Spain  up  to   December,    1810, 
shows  that  280,000  have  been  somehow  or  other  disposed  of  in 
this  country,  and  this  is  their  own  account  of  the  business, 
while  they  certainly  have  not  a  foot  of  land  beyond  what  their 
army  occupies,  and  even  their  armies  have  no  communications 
unless  it  be  on  occasions  where  it  is  worth  sending  5,000  or 
6,000  men  as  an  escort,  for  their  letters  are  perpetually  falling 
into  our  hands.     Neither  prisoners  nor  deserters  now  seem  to 
come  in  to  us  quickly ;   indeed,  desertion  is  difficult  from  the 
nature  of  the  French  position,  but  a  great  deal  of  this  has  been 
much  magnified,  as  it  appears  that  the  French  have  lost  only 


1811]  LETTER   FROM   SIR   W.    GELL.  457 

1,500  men  in  the  whole  year  by  desertion,  while  we  have 
lost  480  ourselves.  I  believe  there  are  very  few  instances  of 
the  Portuguese  deserting.  This  is  I  think  all  I  know  at  pre- 
sent. As  to  climate,  we  have  had  sixty-four  of  bright  sunshine 
and  about  twelve  of  heavy  weather.  We  intend  to  be  in  Eng- 
land about  the  latter  end  of  this  month  ;  indeed,  I  shall  this 
day  begin  to  pack  up.  .  .  .  My  health  has  so  much  im- 
proved by  the  assistance  of  M.  Husson,  that  I  am  become  an 
absolute  nuisance  in  company  from  the  riot  I  make.  Indeed, 
Craven  was  asked  the  other  day  whether  I  was  not  an  idiot. 
Luckily,  my  finances  do  not  keep  pace  with  my  wits,  and  gene- 
rally keep  me  down  two  or  three  steps  lower  than  I  should  other- 
wise be,  which  saves  me  from  becoming  quite  intolerable.  I 
keep  sighing  for  riches,  but  '  nobody  coming  to  marry  me,  no- 
body going  to  die,'  must  be  my  motto.  Tell  Lady  Char  not  to 
write,  for  I  am  coming  to  hear  it  all  myself  so  soon  as  possible, 
and  to  take  my  waiting  with  her  Ladyship.  .  .  .  You  have 
spent  the  whole  of  the  annuity  I  allowed  you  out  of  the  rents  of 
my  estate  in  Eldorado.*  Never  mind,  we  are  all  ruined ;  we 
will  fit  up  my  sister  Agnes's  room  this  spring,  and  then  we  will 
make  Mr.  Berry  perfectly  miserable  by  effecting  a  thorough  re- 
form in  his  apartment. 

Hope  did  very  ill  in  not  giving  me  a  commission  to  buy  old 
plate  for  him.  We  have  it  here  for  its  weight  in  dollars,  and 
beautifully  solid  in  appearance,  whereas  the  manufacture  con- 
sists of  a  thin  plate  of  silver,  which  is  thumped  and  bumped 
into  a  variety  of  flowers  and  patterns  with  punches  and  mallets. 
Under  these  awful  impressions  I  take  my  leave,  assuring  you 
all  of  my  highest  consideration,  and  of  the  delight  with  which 
I  shall  come  again  to  set  an  example  of  morality  and  piety  to 
your  family  in  North  Audley  Street.  There  is  no  room  for  pic- 
tures, besides  which  an  inundation  of  Vandals  is  now  ascending 
the  stairs.  So  adieu,  my  dear  friends,  with  best  love  to  dear 
Mrs.  Darner,  for  whom  I  bring  a  little  chip  of  marble,  to  see 
whether  it  is  good  for  statuary,  and  of  which  there  is  plenty 
here.  Most  affectionately  yours, 

ANACHARSIS. 

*  Mr.  Gell  alludes  to  some  furniture  procured  by  Miss  Berry-,  either  for 
their  own  use  or  for  his,  and  about  which  they  had  corresponded. 


458  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

JOURNAL. 

Sunday,  February  24:th. — At  three  o'clock  I  went  with 
Mrs.  Apreece*  to  Mrs.  Siddons',  at  Westbourne.  Mrs.  Sid- 
dons  received  me,  as  she  always  does,  in  a  manner  which 
flatters  my  internal  vanity  ;  for  she  has  the  germ  of  a 
superior  nature  in  her,  though  burnt  up  by  the  long-con- 
tinued dram  of  popular  applause — '  Datus  in  theatro  ' — 
which  I  know  nobody  who  has  ever  withstood.  Mrs. 
Apreece,  in  our  journey  there  and  back,  entertaining. 

Tuesday,  26th. — Augustus  Fosterf  and  Lord  Morpeth 
called.  They  had  been  to  the  Prince's  levee ;  great 
crowds,  splendid  liveries,  and  hussars  of  all  colours.  He 
very  gracious,  but  speaking  little  to  anybody.  It  began 
at  or  before  two  o'clock,  and  was  over  soon  after  four. 

The  following  interesting  correspondence  between  Pro- 
fessor Playfair  and  Miss  Berry  shows  from  whence  sprang 
the  suggestion  of  the  work  on  a  comparative  state  of 
manners ;  and,  though  not  literally  adopted  by  Miss 
Berry,  was  no  doubt  the  origin  of  her  future  work  on 
'The  Comparative  View  of  Social  Life  in  France  and 
England.' 

Edinburgh,  1st  January. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — It  has  long  been  determined  that  the 
letters  of  Mad.  du  Deffand  shall  be  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of 
the  'Edinburgh  Eeview,'  but  I  do  not  believe  that  Rhadamanthus 
Smith  will  be  the  judge  appealed  to  on  that  occasion.  At  all 
events,  you  may  be  sure  that  your  note  will  be  attended  to.  At 
one  time  I  was  afraid  that  the  review  of  Mad.  du  D.  must  have 
come  forward  in  the  last  No.,  which  would  have  occasioned  it  to 
be  done  in  a  hurried  way,  and  not  nearly  so  well  as  I  hope  it 
may  be  in  the  next  No.  which  comes  out,  or  at  least  ought  to 
come  out,  in  February.  You  may  expect  to  see  your  own  work 
as  an  editor,  meet  with  great  commendation  (indeed,  I  think  it 

*  Afterwards  married  to  Sir  Humphry  Davy, 
f  Son  of  Lady  Elizabeth  Foster. 


1811]  LETTER    FROM   PROFESSOR    PLAYFAIR.  459 

cannot  meet  with  too  much);  whether  you  will  so  much  ap- 
prove of  the  reviewer's  opinion  of  Mad.du  D.  or  of  Lord  0. 1  am 
not  quite  sure ;  this,  however,  I  think  I  can  say,  that  the  tone 
of  the  review  will  not  diminish  the  curiosity  of  the  public,  or 
their  desire  to  be  acquainted  with  the  book. 

To  your  questions  about  Scots  law  and  Scots  lawyers,  I  do  not 
believe  that  I  know  enough  of  the  matter  to  give  any  satisfactory 
answer.  It  is  certainly  to  be  regretted  if  the  profligacy  of 
English  manners  find  a  shelter  or  defence  in  the  ruder  and 
more  imperfect  legislation  of  another  country,  but  it  seems  to 
me  that  it  is  not  the  law  of  this  latter  country  that  is  so  much 
to  be  blamed  as  the  morals  of  the  former. 

That  the  laws  of  every  country  must  be  general  rules,  admit- 
ting of  no  exception,  is  unavoidable,  and  that  the  applications 
of  such  general  rules  to  particular  cases  must  often  produce  in- 
justice, and  must  often  shelter  criminality,  is  a  truth  of  which 
every  country  and  every  age  have  been  unfortunate  enough  to 
afford  many  examples.  I  do  not  see  any  more  than  this  in  the 
instance  of  Lord ,  &c. 

Your  questions  about  refer  to  matters  that  I  know 

nothing  of,  but  they  considerably  awaken  my  curiosity,  and  will 
make  me  try  to  be  informed.  At  all  events,  however,  I  think 
I  know  the  answer  that  I  would  be  disposed  to  make  if  you 
would  draw  from  them  or  such  like  instances,  any  conclusions 
against  Scotland  in  general.  The  sophistry  by  which  people 
support  their  prejudices  in  the  case  of  national  character,  and 
many  others  it  were  easy  to  name,  seems  to  me  to  be  this.  (Do 
not  be  alarmed  at  the  word  sophistry ;  I  do  not  think  you  are  a 
person  to  be  deceived  by  anybody's  sophistry  but  your  own,  and 
against  one's  own  sophistry  I  fear  nobody  is  proof.)  In  every 
country  there  is  a  considerable  quantity  both  of  good  and  evil 
which  it  is  impossible  not  to  remark.  When  there  are  any 
prejudices  already  existing  against  the  country,  all  the  good  is 
set  down  to  the  account  of  individual  or  personal  character,  and 
all  the  ill  to  the  account  of  national  and  general  character. 
Thus,  by  particularising  the  one  and  generalising  the  other,  a 
picture  is  made  out  that  seems  to  be  quite  like  nature  and 
perfectly  copied  from  the  truth,  and  at  the  same  time  quite  con- 
formable to  all  the  prejudices  already  entertained.  Now  give 
me  leave  to  say  that  I  have  often  observed  you  doing  exactly 


460  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

what  I  have  now  described ;  that  is,  when  you  met  with  good 
people  or  good  things  in  this  country,  which  might  by  chance 
now  and  then  occur,  you  would  immediately  ascribe  it,  as  you 
probably  was  very  right  in  doing,  to  individual  merit  of  some 
kind  or  other ;  but  when  the  bad  occurred,  which  it  would  do, 
G-od  knows,  but  too  often,  you  put  all  this  down  to  the  score  of 
that  unhappy  nation,  composed  of  Celts  and  Goths,  which  extends 
from  the  Tweed  to  the  Ultima  T/iule  of  the  North.  The  feelings 
of  a  good  mind,  that  takes  an  interest  in  good  people,  and  forms 
attachments  to  them,  are  thus  gratified,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
national  prejudice  is  kept  up  and  wars  strengthened.  You  have 
a  mind,  give  me  leave  to  say,  very  superior  to  all  the  prejudices 
which  it  is  of  most  importance  to  overcome.  To  the  great  idols, 
as  Bacon  calls  them,  to  which  so  much  worship  is  paid  all  over 
the  world,  you  never  bend  the  knee ;  but  there  are  one  or  two 
smaller  images  which  you  seem  to  take  pleasure  in  paying  a 
little  more  respect  to  than  is  fairly  their  due.  They  are  pre- 
judices of  no  great  account,  I  allow,  and  hardly  of  any  moment 
at  all  in  the  estimation  of  the  soundness  of  mental  attainment ; 
yet,  even  from  these  I  would  wish  that  your  mind  was  entirely 
free.  One  is  naturally  most  interested  in  the  perfection  of  that 
which  is  already  excellent. 

You  asked  my  opinion  before  on  another  subject — the  manner 
in  which  you  may  employ  your  leisure  in  some  literary  occupa- 
tion. When  I  received  your  former  letter,  in  which  this  question 
was  put,  I  happened  to  be  with  Lord  W.  Seymour,  and  I  took 
the  liberty  of  stating  the  matter  to  him.  The  idea  that  occurred, 
and  that  he  was  the  first  to  suggest,  was,  that  the  manners  of 
some  Age  distinguished  in  the  history  of  our  country,  would 
make  a  good  subject  for  you  to  study  and  give  an  account  of. 
The  manners,  for  example,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth  as 
compared  with  those  of  the  present  day — I  mean,  of  the  fashion- 
able world  ;  or,  perhaps  the  time  of  Queen  Anne  might  be  still 
better;  there  are  ample  materials  for  it,  and  the  thing  cannot  be 
well  done  but  by  one  who  is  properly  acquainted  with  the 
fashionable  world  at  present,  and  who  has  been  in  it,  with  all 
the  observation  and  thorough  acquaintance  with  it  which  we 
know  you  to  possess.  This  seemed  very  good  to  us  both,  and 
the  sort  of  reading  into  which  it  would  lead  you  would  be  of  a 
pleasant  nature,  not  too  intricate  or  laborious  for  enjoyment. 


1811]  LETTER   TO   PROFESSOR    PLAYFAIR.  461 

Since  that,  on  thinking  over  all  these  things  by  myself,  it  has 
occurred  that  biography  may  offer  good  subjects  for  you. 
Eminent  persons  of  either  sex,  who,  though  well  known,  are  not 
so  well  known  in  the  details  of  private  life  as  they  deserve  to 
be,  are  good  subjects  for  biographical  memoirs  or  sketches,  more 
or  less  particular,  as  circumstances  might  direct.  What  think 
you  of  some  subject  of  this  kind  ?  Your  short  account  of  Mad. 
du  Deffand  is  a  proof  of  how  well  you  would  succeed  in  such  a 
subject.  It  is  written  with  a  great  deal  of  force,  good  sense, 
and  good  taste.  I  would  be  glad  if  you  would  write  me  on  this 
subject. 

K.  Fergusson  is  here  just  now  on  his  way  to  town.  .  .  . 
I  learn  that  he  thinks  of  living  at  Rait  li ;  that  he  finds  himself 
left  with  considerable  encumbrances,  and  by  no  means  rich.  .  .  . 

What  a  business  in  the  political  world !  At  last,  it  would  seem 
that  common  sense  is  to  prevail,  but  by  a  very  small  majority. 

I  understand  Mrs.  A.  Apreece  is  either  in  London  or  is  to  be 
there  soon,  and  I  am  very  glad  to  think  that  you  will  certainly 
become  acquainted. 

I  should  like  to  know  if  you  approve  of  either  of  the  subjects 
above  mentioned. 

With  best  wishes,  many  years  and  happy  ones,  I  remain,  my 
dear  Miss  Berry,  your  respectful  and  affectionate  Friend, 

JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 

To  Professor  Play  fair. 

Feb.,  1811. 

How  shall  I  thank  you  for  so  kindly  taking  the  trouble  of 
suggesting  to  me  some  employment  for  my  useless  time  ?  I  have 
thought  much  upon  the  two  ideas  you  mention.  But  want  your 
clear  head  to  debrouiller  them  a  little  more  before  I  can  fix 
upon,  or  indeed  fairly  judge  of  either,  and  measure  it  with  my 
own  force,  or  rather,  with  my  own  weakness.  Of  reading  and 
reference  I  am  not  afraid,  as  I  read  very  quickly,  and  have 
several  kind  friends  who  would  help  me  to  the  books  I  have  not. 
But  no  biography  at  all  within  my  sphere  occurs  to  me.  The 
other  plan  you  mention  might,  I  should  think,  in  capable  hands, 
be  made  very  entertaining.  .  .  •  I  have  had  for  many  years 
an  idea,  at  times,  wandering  about  in  my  head  of  something  in 
English  like  les  caracteres  de  la  Bruyere.  I  don't  mean  either 
a  translation  or  an  imitation,  but  merely  an  adoption  of  his 


462  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

arrangement,  and  I  have  by  me  a  number  of  scraps  written  with 
a  view  to  this,  some  arranged  and  more  not  arranged,  under  a 
selection  of  the  heads  into  which  he  has  divided  his  work. 
Whether  any  of  this  stuff  could  be  worked  up  into  something 
else,  or  if  it  be  worth  preserving  at  all,  I  have  honestly  and 
truly  no  idea.  When  you  come  to  town  in  May  (as  we  are  led 
to  hope),  you  will  perhaps  take  the  trouble  of  running  over 
some  of  it  and  telling  me ;  as  it  is  a  part  of  no  whole,  I  have  not 
yet  a  parent's  partiality  for  it.  I  can  myself  see  a  thousand 
objections  to  anything  built  upon  or  recalling  to  memory  La, 
Bruyere.  First,  the  perfection  of  the  work  itself,  which  one 
cannot  hope  to  approach ;  next,  the  extreme  facility  with  which 
the  world  would  construe  such  a  work  into  individual  satire, 
and  the  difficulty  which  one  might  sometimes  have  oneself  to 
avoid  it.  In  short,  I  want  somebody  wiser  than  myself,  both  to 
tell  me  what  to  do,  and  how  to  do  it ;  and  then  comes  ever  and 
anon  headache,  triumphant  for  two  or  three  days  together,  and 
so  absorbs  my  existence,  as  not  only  to  make  all  occupation  at 
the  time  impossible,  but  to  damp  all  confidence,  and  destroy  all 
projects  for  the  employment  of  the  hours  left  me. 
Your  friend  Mrs.  Apreece  is  to  pass  the  evening  with  us  to- 
morrow. Agnes  was  much  pleased  with  her  conversation  and 
manner,  and  I  hear  of  her  agreeableness  from  all  quarters.  She 
will  soon  probably,  like  the  rest  of  the  world,  be  too  much  en- 
gaged in  the  dissipation  of  this  great  town  to  have  as  much 
time  to  bestow  upon  real  society  as  she  would  wish. 

The  latest  news  of  Eobert  is  that  he  was  this  day  elected  of 
the  Alfred  Club,  for  which  there  were  314  candidates,  and 
only  eight  vacancies ;  he  was  very  desirous  of  filling  one  of 
them,  and  we  were  very  glad  to  be  able  to  secure  him  a  number 
of  votes. 

Of  politics  it  is  quite  impossible  to  speak.  Come  and  see 
them :  talking  about  them  is  in  vain,  for  all  arguments,  and 
principles,  and  projects  are  overthrown.  I  feel  myself  convinced, 
by  this  last  turn  of  the  wheel  for  the  present  ministry,  of  two 
or  three  probabilities  which  all  parties  equally  disclaim  at 
present,  but  which,  nevertheless,  we  shall  see  take  place,  except 
something  much  more  wonderful  should  occur,  than  the  Prince 
becoming  attached  to  these  people,  who  will  flatter  and  wheedle 
him,  and  discover  talents  and  virtues,  and  then  such  filial  piety 


1811]  LETTER   FROM   HON.    KEPPEL   CRAVEN.  463 

in  him  !  !  !  St.  James's  Square  and  Pall  Mall  to-day  were  full 
of  the  carriages  of  the  Privy  Council,  who  were  in  a  body  at 
Carleton  House,  to  administer  to  him  the  oath  prescribed  by 
Parliament ;  and  on  Tuesday  next,  it  is  said,  he  opens  the  two 
Houses,  but  I  have  a  bet  he  does  it  by  commission.  In  the 
mean  time  the  King  is  almost  well  again — that  is  to  say,  just 
mad  enough  to  desire  to  reign,  which  he  will  do,  so  much  like 
his  son,  and  his  son  so  much  like  him,  that  the  happy  country 
will  never  know  the  difference.  Farewell !  it  is  high  time  to 
recollect  that  you  have  something  else  to  do  than  read  my 
letters.  .  .  .  Remember  me  affectionately,  and  with  many 
thanks,  to  Lord  Webb,  if  near  you ;  and  believe  me,  with  the 
sincerest  regard  and  gratitude,  your  attached  friend, 

M.  B. 

P.S. — The  admirable  lesson  you  give  on  national  prejudices, 
I  really  think  will  prevent  me  ever  exposing  myself  on  the 
subject  again.  It  is  no  excuse  to  say  that  these  prejudices  were 
first  instilled,  and  then  strengthened  by  a  chain  of  unfortunate 
circumstances.  .  .  .  But  I  ought  to  have  known  how  to 
resist  the  series  of  unfavourable  impressions  to  which  I  own, 
with  shame,  having  yielded. 

From  the  Hon.  Keppel  Craven  to  Mws  Berry. 

Lisbon,  Thursday,  March  7,  1811. 

MY  DEAR  Miss  BERRYS  (for  I  mean  to  address  you  both  at 
once), — I  feel  very  reluctant  in  writing  to  you,  being  conscious 
that  our  friend  Anacharsis  must  have  told  you  everything  that 
ever  happened  to  us  both  while  he  was  here,  and  nothing  very 
much  worth  recording  having  occurred  since  his  departure,  un- 
less it  is  the  retreat  of  the  French,  which  has  actually  begun,  so 
much  so  that  all  our  divisions  are  ordered  to  move,  and  Lord 
Wellington's  head-quarters  were  yesterday  morning  at  Santarem. 
Further  we  knew  ijot,  but  suppose  that  the  news  of  the  arrival 
of  our  reinforcements  (which  took  place  on  Monday)  must  have 
urged  the  enemy  to  this  step,  or  that  of  General  Graham  having 
arrived  at  Seville,  which  is  said  to  be  the  case ;  but  this  last 
piece  of  intelligence  I  give  you  only  as  a  report.  I  am  the  very 
worst  person  in  the  world  to  retail  news,  for  I  generally  receive 
it  incorrect  and  report  it  false.  After  this  declaration  you  must 
judge  what  degree  of  credit  you  may  attach  to  that  I  have  given 


464  MISS  BEERY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

you.  Sir  J.  Yorke  and  his  fine  squadron  came  in  on  Monday, 
and  I  fancy  sail  again  to-morrow.  He  would  not  come  and 
anchor  under  the  town,  as  there  is  really  scarcely  room  in  the 
Tagus ;  but  I  wish  he  had,  merely  to  surprise  the  Portuguese  with 
the  sight  of  seventeen  sail  of  the  line  so  near  to  them.  We  have 
had  an  exact  representation  of  summer  ever  since  Gell's  depar- 
ture, which  has  increased  my  stock  of  health  to  that  degree  that 
I  am  afraid  of  an  apoplexy,  but  am  going  to  guard  against  such 
an  accident  by  a  little  sea  discipline.  My  cousin  Frederick 
Berkeley,  who  has  lately  been  appointed  to  a  troop  ship,  is  going 
in  a  day  or  two  to  Oporto,  to  fetch  some  Portuguese  recruits, 
and  has  asked  me  to  be  his  companion  in  that  cruise,  which  I 
have  promised,  as  it  will  be  a  convenient  opportunity  of  seeing 
Oporto,  and  there  is  at  present  nothing  to  be  done  at  Lisbon, 
the  theatres  and  balls  having  all  closed  since  the  commencement 
of  Lent,  and  all  my  friends  having  galloped  off  to  the  army  on 
Tuesday  evening.  Some  were  so  kind  as  to  leave  me  the  charge 
of  settling  their  accounts  and  packing  up  their  baggage,  by  which 
agreeable  employment  I  was  taken  up  the  whole  of  yesterday. 
I  hope  to  be  back  in  less  than  a  fortnight,  and  then  have  a  week 
to  prepare  for  my  own  departure  for  England,  which  I  mean,  if 
possible,  to  take  place  by  the  first  of  next  month,  and,  Deo 
volente,  to  embrace  you  (for  that  is  a  privilege  of  all  travellers) 
by  the  15th  of  April. 

.  .  .  Charles  Stuart  is  a  most  delightful  person,  as  you 
well  know ;  he  lets  everybody  turn  his  house  topsy-turvy,  and 
his  dinners  are  quite  delightful,  as  they  possess  the  fundamental 
requisite  for  promoting  agreeable  conversation,  I  mean  being 
well  dressed ;  and  then  he  never  minds  anyone's  costume,  so  I 
indulge  in  the  luxury  of  fancy  dress,  which  is  strictly  forbidden 
at  the  Admiral's  ;  besides  which  they  last  a  very  short  time,  and 
you  may  come  in  and  go  out  whenever  you  please — in  short, 
there  never  was  so  amiable  a  minister. 

.  .  .  Do  you  know  St.  Hermenegild"?  He  was  son  to 
Leovigild,  king  of  the  Longobards,  and  brother  to  Prince 
Recavedus.  He  married  Evarinta,  a  beautiful  Catholic  princess, 
and  lived  in  the  woods  with  her.  His  father,  who  followed 
the  Arian  Schism,  sent  a  furious  priest,  called  Ebbalinus,  at 
the  head  of  an  army  to  seize  him  and  bring  him  back,  and  the 
said  minister  found  this  holy  pair  in  devout  meditation  on  the 


1811]  FROM   MR.    CRAVEN".  465 

top  of  a  hill,  which  hill  walked  away  the  instant  the  soldiers 
tried  to  mount  it,  leaving  in  its  stead  a  chasm  full  of  flames. 
However,  the  prince  returned  of  his  own  accord  to  his  father, 
who,  by  the  instigation  of  the  priest,  put  him  to  death,  which 
was  announced  to  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  At  first  it  had  been 
agreed  to  thrust  him  into  the  king's  menagerie,  but  there  the 
lions  licked  his  feet,  and  quite  treated  him  as  a  brother.  So  his 
head  was  cut  off;  notwithstanding  which  he  went  up  to  heaven 
with  it  on,  dressed  in  a  very  handsome  white  robe,  with  a  palm 
in  his  hand,  in  a  cloud  more  beautiful  and  transparent  than  any 
of  Mr.  Orme's  screens,  surrounded  by  cherubims  and  angels 
playing  on  various  instruments,  and  singing  a  chorus  composed 
by  Marus  Portogallo.  All  this  happened  last  Sunday,  and  you 
might  see  it  to-night  again  were  you  going  with  me  to  the 
Portuguese  Theatre,  where  these  martyrdoms  take  place  twice 
every  week,  in  presence  of  a  numerous  and  pious  audience,  who 
show  their  piety  by  clapping  of  hands  and  cries  of  Bravo. 

.  .  .  Pray  have  the  kindness  to  remember  me  most  par- 
ticularly to  Mrs.  Darner.  You  cannot  conceive  how  much  I 
regret  her  giving  up  Strawberry  Hill,  for  I  must  ever  remember 
with  pleasure  the  happy  rainy  days  I  occasionally  passed  there; 
our  embarkations,  disembarkations,  eating  strawberries,  the  wet 
grass  that  adorns  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  and  the  terrific  adventure 
of  my  boat,  driven  by  a  gale  of  wind  into  Mr.  Somebody's  gar- 
den. Let  me  live  in  hopes  that  the  younger  Strawberry  will 
give  me  an  opportunity  of  repeating  those  scenes  of  rural  feli- 
city. Oh  dear!  I  had  forgot  among  them  the  ready-made  shoes 
of  Richmond,  the  surviving  pair  of  which  I  gave  away  a  few 
days  ago,  in  still  a  very  serviceable  state. 

My  kindest  regards  to  Mr.  Berry,  whom  I  hope  to  find  in 
excellent  health.  Do  you  know  what  saudades  means  ?  (don't 
read  sausages)  because  it  is  the  most  comprehensive  word  in  any 
language,  and  there  is  a  flower  called  so  in  this  place  which  I 
want  to  carry  to  England. 

Adieu !  expect  to  see  me  walk  into  your  comfortable  drawing- 
room  some  very  cold  Spring  morning  somewhere  about  a  month 
hence. 

Believe  me,  most  sincerely  and  affectionately, 
Your  faithful 

R.  K.  CRAVEN. 

VOL.  II.  H  H 


,466  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURXAL.  [mi 

JOUKNAL. 

Saturday,  March  9th. — A  man  standing  in  the  pillory* 
in  Oxford  Street,  at  the  end  of  our  street,  completely 
knocked  me  up,  never  having  seen  the  operation  before. 
I  looked  out  of  the  window  for  the  instant  that  the 
wretched  man  was  putting  in,  and  for  one  instant  after- 
wards, when  he  was  assailed  by  such  a  shower  of  every 
sort  of  mud,  filth,  and  horrors,  as  to  give  every  part  of 
him  and  the  machine  one  and  the  same  hideous  composi- 
tion. The  horror  of  seeing  a  wretched,  degraded  being, 
already  exposed  to  the  scorn  and  contempt  of  the  multi- 
tude, thus  treated  by  beings  like  himself;  and  to  see  the 
human  form  thus  vilified,  and  human  creatures — and 
those  mostly  women — thus  treating  it,  seized  upon  my 
irritable  nerves  in  such  a  manner  as  almost  to  give  me 
what  in  my  life  I  never  had  before — an  hysterical  affec- 
tion between  crying  and  screaming.  We  both  fled  from 
the  window,  and  took  refuge  in  my  back  room,  to  hear 
as  little  as  we  could  of  the  noise  of  the  crowd.  It  was 
over,  thank  heaven,  at  one  o'clock,  and  nothing  should 
ever  bribe  me  to  see  such  a  sight  again. 

Sunday,  Wth. — Went  to  church.  Afterwards  walked 
to  Lady  E.  W.,  who  is  going,  I  think,  fast  into 
methodism,  or  melancholy  of  some  sort  or  other. 
Afterwards  to  Mrs.  Howe's.  It  is  good,  after  having 
seen  a  mind  like  the  first,  to  have  the  taste  of  it 
put  out  of  one's  mouth  by  such  a  mind  as  Mrs.  Howe's 
at  eighty-seven. 

Monday,  \\th. — Agnes  called  for  me  soon  after  ten, 
and  we  went  together  to  Lady  Elliot's  ;  a  true  assembly, 
with  all  the  '  my  ladies,'  and  all  their  daughters  in  London, 

*  The  pillory  was  abolished  as  a  punishment  in  all  cases  except  perjury, 
56  George  III.,  1815-16.  The  pillory  was  totally  abolished  by  Act  1  Viet. 
c.  30,  June,  1837.  The  last  who  suffered  this  punishment  at  the  Old  Bailey 
was  Peter  James  Bossy,  for  perjury,  June  24, 1830. — Haydn's  Diet,  of  Dates, 
p.  506-7. 


1811]  MADAME   CATALAN!.  467 

on  one  side  of  the  question  at  least ;  for  of  the  opposition 
there  was  neither  woman  nor  man,  except  one  or  two  of 
the  very  young  sprigs  of  assembly-goers. 

Thursday,  14^.  —  In  the  evening  to  Mr.  Grattan. 
Catalani,  her  husband,  and  a  horrible  sister  of  his,  had 
dined  there.  She  had  sung  a  good  deal  before  we  came, 
and  sung  two  little  things  afterwards,  expressly  for  me. 
Mrs.  Grattan  always  charming  in  her  manner,,  and  he, 
with  whom  I  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  about 
Haslem's*  book  on  madness,  &c.,  always  entertaining  and 
clever,  in  spite  of  his  odd  manner  and  still  odder  enun- 
ciation. But  they  don't  understand  society  in  their  own 
house.  She  cannot  move  about  to  settle  it,  and  he  takes 
it  as  it  comes.  In  this  very  small  party  all  the  women 
were  sitting  round  the  door  of  one  of  the  two  rooms,,  and 
all  the  men  in  the  other. 

Friday,  ~L5th. — In  the  evening  went  to  Lady  Spencer'sf 
before  ten  o'clock.  An  assembly  in  the  drawing  and 
billiard  rooms  of  all  the  aristocracy  of  opposition,  and 
of  every  Grenville,  male  and  female,  in  the  world. 
The  rooms  are  uncommonly  handsome ;  in  the  old  style 
of  carving,  gilding,  and  crimson  damask,  than  which 
nothing  invented  since  is  handsomer.  Everybody  seemed 
pleased.  Everybody  piqued  themselves  upon  coming 
early,  and  it  is  to  be  repeated  every  Friday.  Lord  Har- 
tington  begged  me  to  give  him  a  little  party  on  Wednes- 
day next,  the  fast  day.  Agnes  went  to  Mrs.  Davenport's, 
where  Tramazzini  was  singing. 

Saturday,  \§th. — I  had  heard  from  Lord  Stafford,  at 
Lady  Spencer's  the  night  before,  that  the  'Scotch  Eeview,' 
with  the  criticism  upon  '  Madame  du  Deffand's  Letters,' 
was  out ;  and  this  morning,  before  I  got  my  own,  Lady 

*  William  Saunders  Haslem,  M.D.,  author  of  the  '  Inquiry  into  the 
Causes  of  the  Extraordinary  Addition  to  th»  Number  of  the  Insane/  pub- 
lished in  1811. 

t  Lavinia,  daughter  of  first  Earl  of  Lucaii,  married,  1781,  to  George 
John,  second  Earl  of  Spencer,  died  1831. 

H  H  2 


468  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

Donegall  sent  me  a  copy  she  had  got  early.  I  ought  to 
be  much  content,  and  I  am.  Praise  and  blame  often 
appear  slight  to  me,  which  strike  others  in  the  light  of 
very  decided  and  satisfactory  praise.  Blame,  or  notice  of 
faults,  there  is  none  ;  so  of  that  I  cannot  complain.  But 
I  am  fastidious,  when  I  ought  only  to  be  thankful. 

Miss  Berry  had  certainly  reason,  on  the  whole,  to  be 
satisfied  with  the  articles  that  appeared  in  the  two  leading 
reviews  on  her  editorship  of  Madame  du  DefFand's  Letters ; 
yet  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  she  felt  the  praise  by 
no  means  equal  to  the  pains  she  had  bestowed  on  her 
task,  and  the  labour  it  had  cost  her.  But  such  is  the 
natural  position  of  the  editor  of  another  person's  writings. 
It  may  be  a  work  of  patience,  of  research,  of  candour,  of 
judgment ;  but  it  is  not  an  original  work,  and  has  no 
claim  to  the  fame  which  may  be  attached  to  the  author 
whose  writings  he  has  thus  been  the  means  of  bringing  to 
light.  Such  parts  of  the  articles  as  related  to  the  editor 
herself  are  here  given,  that  the  reader  may  see  she  had 
at  least  won  the  approbation  and  respect  due  to  her 
diligence,  discretion,  and  knowledge  of  the  subjects  re- 
quired for  her  work. 

Edinburgh  Review,  February  1811. 

The  circumstances  of  this  publication  are  greatly  in  its  favour, 
the  editor  having  left  nothing  undone  that  could  elucidate  the 
text,  or  throw  light  on  the  persons  and  incidents  to  which  it 
refers.  This  was  highly  necessary,  and  a  task  at  the  same  time 
of  no  inconsiderable  difficulty.  The  society  of  Madame  du 
Deffand  consisted  of  a  great  variety  of  persons,  who  though 
conspicuous  and  well  known  at  the  time  when  they  lived,  yet  to 
us  foreigners,  at  the  distance  of  forty  years,  must  many  of  them 
require  to  be  introduced  with  some  historical  detail.  In  this 
respect,  the  editor  has  anticipated  the  wishes  of  the  reader,  and 
has  furnished  him,  very  concisely  and  clearly,  with  all  the  infor- 
mation he  can  desire,  concerning  the  persons  and  events  that 


1811]  MADAME   DU    DEFFAXD.  469 

are  passing  before  him.  This  undertaking  was  in  fact  more 
arduous  than  at  first  appears,  requiring  qualifications  which 
neither  editors  nor  authors  are  always  in  possession  of;  as  it 
could  be  executed  by  no  person  who  had  not  lived  in  the  best 
society  both  of  France  and  England,  and  was  not  well  acquainted 
with  the  history  and  manners  of  the  fashionable  world  in  both 
countries.  One  might  have  looked  long  in  vain  for  one  possess- 
ing these  requisites  among  the  grave  and  learned  bodies  from 
which  the  ranks  of  scholiasts  and  commentators  are  usually 
recruited. 

Then  follow  extracts  from  the  Letters,  with  the  re- 
viewer's comments,  winding  up  with  the  concluding 
passage  upon  the  work  and  its  editor. 

We  must  now  take  leave  of  Madame  du  Deffand,  which  how- 
ever we  cannot  do  without  saying,  that  in  our  opinion  her 
correspondence  makes  a  valuable  addition  to  the  mass,  not  very 
considerable  as  yet  of  printed  letters,  perfectly  natural  and 
unaffected,  and  visibly  never  meant  for  publication.  The  editor 
deserves  well  of  the  public  on  this  account,  and  still  more  on 
account  of  the  judicious  and  enlightened  observations  with 
which  the  text  is  illustrated. 

Quarterly  Review,  May  1811. 

To  the  letters  of  the  Marquise  du  Deffand  and  Mr.  Horace 
Walpole  are  prefixed  a  preface,  and  a  life  of  Madame  du 
Deffand,  by  the  editor.  They  are  written  in  an  excellent  tone, 
and  in  a  style  temperate,  chaste,  and  purely  English.  With 
much  knowledge  of  the  world,  they  evince  a  spirit  of  candour, 
corrected  by  a  strong  judgment  and  sound  principle,  and  are 
evidently  the  production  of  a  mind  enlightened  and  vigorous, 
polished  alike  by  extensive  reading  and  by  intercourse  with  the 
best  society.  The  most  important  parts  of  Madame  du  DefFand's 
character  are  here  accurately  estimated,  and  placed  in  their  just 
point  of  view.  Her  good  qualities  are  not  exaggerated,  nor  is 
the  depravity  of  her  heart  disguised  by  a  misplaced  delicacy. 
On  the  whole,  we  have  read  these  prefatory  pieces  with  great 
satisfaction,  and  in  offering  this  testimony  to  the  merits  of  an 


470  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isu 

anonymous  writer,  we  cannot  avoid  expressing  a  hope,  that  a 
second  opportunity  may  be  soon  given  us  of  performing  so 
agreeable  a  duty. 

In  spite  of  the  just  spirit  in  which  Miss  Berry  was 
reviewed  in  the  '  Edinburgh  '  and  '  Quarterly,'  it  is  clear 
that  comments  were  passed  upon  her  undertaking  in  the 
society  in  which  she  lived,  which  justified  her  view  of 
the  desire  shown  at  that  time  to  check  all  literary  efforts 
in  women.  The  extract  from  Mr.  Mat.  Lewis's  letter, 
published  by  Lady  Charlotte  Bury,  together  with  Lady 
Charlotte's  own  remarks,  show  that  Miss  Berry's  view  on 
this  subject  was  shared  by  other  ladies. 

Extract  from  a  Letter  of  M~  0.  Lewis  to  Lady  Charlotte  Bury. 

Holland  House,  Dec.  9th,  1810. 

I  have  galloped  through  two  volumes  of  Madame  du  Deffand's 
Letters,  and  with  much  amusement,  though  the  anecdotes  are  in 
themselves  of  no  great  value.  .  .  .  Have  you  read  these  letters  ? 
You  know,  of  course,  that  they  were  edited  by  your  friend  Miss 
Berry,  who  has  also  written  the  preface,  the  life,  and  the  notes, 
all  of  which  are  most  outrageously  abused  by  many  persons, 
though,  in  my  opinion,  without  any  just  grounds.* 


*  Note  by  Lady  Charlotte  Bury  on  Mr.  Lewis's  letter,  written  some  years 
later,  after  the  appearance  of  Miss  Berry's  later  work : — '  It  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  account  for  this  outrageous  abuse  were  it  not  an  established  fact  that 
all  women  who  meddle  with  literature,  especially  those  in  the  higher  ranks 
of  life,  place  themselves  in  a  pillory,  at  which  every  impertinent  idler  con- 
ceives he  has  a  right  to  throw  his  rotten  eggs.  Miss  Berry  has,  however, 
established  her  reputation  as  an  authoress  in  spite  of  all  detraction.  Her 
"  Comparative  View  of  Social  Life  in  England  and  France"  is  assuredly  one 
of  the  best  written  and  most  comprehensive  views  of  the  subject  which  can 
issue  from  the  press,  and  combines  all  the  tact  of  woman's  feeling  with  the 
strength  and  terseness  ascribed  to  male  intellect  alone.  This  work,  so 
superior  to  the  ephemeral  fictions  of  the  day,  has  obtained  for  her  the  sober 
and  lasting  suffrage  of  the  public,  the  affection  and  admiration  of  a  wide 
circle  of  friends,  which  it  has  ever  been  her  privilege  to  call  her  own,  and 
their  pride  to  bestow.' 


1811]  THE   PRINCE   REGENT.  471 

JOUKNAL. 

Friday,  March  22nd,  1811. — Went,  about  eleven,  to 
Lady  Hertford's.  We  did  not  get  in  till  near  twelve, 
when  the  Regent  had  not  arrived  from  dinner  at  Lord 
Cholmondeley's.  He  came  soon  afterwards,  while  we 
were  in  the  outer  room,  and  we  saw  the  whole  ceremony. 
A  circle  was  immediately  made,  and  the  Regent,  the 
Dukes  of  Clarence,  Cumberland,  Cambridge,  and  Glou- 
cester, were  all  in  it  at  the  same  time.  The  Regent 
looked  wretchedly,  swollen  up  with  a  muddled  com- 
plexion, and  was  besides  extremely  tipsy — gravely  and 
cautiously  so.  I  happened  to  be  a  good  while  in  the 
circle ;  and  he  at  last  gave  me  a  formal  grave  bow,  with 
Kensington  legible  on  it. 

In  general,  he  speaks  much  less,  both  to  men  and 
women,  than  he  did — it  is  the  fashion  of  the  day  with 
him.  Did  not  get  away  from  Lady  Hertford's  till  very 
near  two  o'clock — the  Prince  still  there. 

Thursday,  April  4th. — Went  to  Lady  Derby's.  The 
same  enormous  crowd  of  all  sorts  of  people  that  her 
assemblies  always  are — the  Regent  there  ;  I  was  in  his 
eye  some  time,  but  no  notice  taken. 

Friday,  bth.  —  At  three  o'clock  went  to  Devonshire 
House,  to  a  practising  of  waltzes,  as  it  was  called.  It 
was,  in  fact,  a  morning  dance,  with  a  cold  dinner  in  one 
of  the  back  drawing-rooms — the  dancing  in  the  saloon. 
It  was  pleasant  enough. 

Sunday,  7th. — In  the  morning  I  went  to  the  Chapel 
Royal  with  Lady  Tancred.  After  having  been  driven 
from  post  to  pillar  for  places,  we  got  two  seats  in  the 
aisle,  close  by  the  singing  boys,  and  heard  the  Bishop  of 
London  read  the  Communion  Service  very  unimpres- 
sively, and  the  Archbishop  of  York  preached  a  very 
gentlemanlike,  sensible  sermon,  but  one  to  which  it 
was  quite  impossible  to  pin  one's  attention,  for  want  of 


472  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

something  to  warm  and  interest  one.  The  music  ex- 
cellent, though  I  think  some  part  of  the  service  better 
set  in  the  York  Cathedral.  The  Chapel  Eoyal  shame- 
fully small  for  the  domestic  chapel  to  the  King's  first, 
and  indeed  only,  palace  in  London  ;  and  the  way  in 
which  money  is  not  only  taken,  but  extorted,  by  every 
doorkeeper,  disgraceful. 

Tuesday,  9th. — In  the  evening  several  people  came. 
Sydney  Smith's  spirits  at  supper  quite  marvellous. 

Wednesday,  I0th. — Went  to  Mrs.  Beauclerc's,*  where 
was  a  small  party  —  of  women  only  ourselves,  Lady 
Harriet  [Leveson  Gower]  and  Lady  Georgiana  [Morpeth,] 
Lady  Harrowby,  and  Mrs.  Locke.  The  old  Duchessf  was 
in  one  of  the  rooms.  I  had  much  talk  with  her  about 
Madame  du  Deffand.  with  whose  letters  she  is  delighted, 
as  having  known  all  the  society  and  persons  mentioned. 

Sunday,  14zA. — I  did  not  go  to  church  in  the  morning, 
but  had  a  long  and  interesting  conversation  with  Thorn- 
ton, about  his  views  and  plans,  which  I  completely 
entered  into,  and  should  be  too  glad  if  I  could  anyhow 
second.  After  five,  went  to  the  Magdalen.  We  got 
-there  early,  before  the  chapel  was  a  third  part  full ;  but 
before  the  service  began  it  was  full  in  every  part,  con- 
taining, I  suppose,  at  least  six  or  seven  hundred  people. 
.Everything  about  it  very  decent,  and  well  kept  and 
ordered.  It  was  well  lighted  up  with  no  less  than 
ninety-six  spermaceti  candles.  The  preaching  not  good; 
the  singing  of  the  hymns  and  psalms  from  the  women 
behind  the  high  screen  of  green  stuff,  which  entirely  hides 
.them  from  the  audience,  agreeable  and  affecting  ;  indeed, 
I  think  the  Evening  Hymn  always  so.  One  or  two  of 
the  voices  were  very  sweet,  and  the  rest  did  in  chorus. 

*  Emily  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Ogilvy  and  the  Duchess  of 
Leicester ;  married,  1799,  to  Charles  George  Beauclerk,  son  of  Topham  and 
Lady  Di  Beauclerk. 

t  The  old  duchess  was  probably  the  Duchess  of  Leinster,  daughter  of 
Charles,  second  duke  of  Richmond. 


1811]  LETTER   FROM    PROFESSOR   PLAYPAIR.  473 

From  Professor  Playfair. 

Edinburgh,  17th  April,  1811. 

MY  DEAR  Miss  BERRY, — .  ...  I  am  very  much  disposed 
to  think  well  of  the  work  you  propose  to  employ  yourself  in, 
and  indeed  to  prefer  it  to  either  of  the  plans  which  had  oc- 
curred to  Lord  W.  and  myself.  Sketches  of  character  of  the 
kind  you  propose  would  give  exercise  to  the  powers  of  discri- 
mination which  (allow  me  to  say  it)  you  eminently  possess,  and 
to  that  turn  for  elegant  and  concise  delineation  of  which  you 
have  lately  furnished  such  good  examples.  I  would,  therefore, 
have  you  think  seriously  of  this ;  it  will  afford  you  a  pleasant 
occupation,  and  some  day  I  hope  afford  pleasure  and  instruction 
to  your  friends  and  the  public  at  large. 

I  am  in  the  next  place  to  make  my  confessions  to  you,  and 
to  tell  you  that  I  am  the  author  of  the  review  of  M.  du  D. 
I  am  sorry  that  it  did  not  fall  into  better  hands,  or  what  I 
regret  more,  that  I  could  not  do  it  better  myself.  Though  I 
had  a  good  deal  of  time  allowed  me,  things  turned  out  so  that 
I  was  much  hurried  in  the  end.  Then  I  was  perplexed  not  a 
little  by  the  great  number  of  things  that  I  admired  in  the 
letters,  and  in  my  wish  to  quote  a  great  deal,  became  bewil- 
dered, and  did  not  quote  many  of  the  things  that  are  best.  I 
have  a  greater  admiration  of  the  force,  vivacity,  and  nature  of 
the  letters  than  I  have  anywhere  expressed.  I  need  not  say 
that  I  very  much  admire  the  work  of  the  editor ;  my  admira- 
tion of  that  I  thought  it  necessary  to  keep  down,  and  to  say 
much  less  than  I  felt.  Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  letters, 
a  review  was  sent  from  London,  or  rather  a  part  of  one,  for  it 
was  not  nearly  complete,  and  though  it  was  evidently  the  work 
of  a  person  friendly  to  you,  there  seemed  so  little  esteem  of  the 
book  in  general,  and  of  the  peculiar  excellences  of  Mad.  du 
D.'s  style,  that  I  instantly,  on  obtaining  Jeffrey's  consent,  deter- 
mined to  try  what  I  could  do.  1  am  conscious  of  having  suc- 
ceeded but  very  indifferently,  but  there  was  some  danger  that 
another  person,  at  least  not  so  desirous  of  succeeding  well, 
might  be  employed.  Nobody  took  a  greater  interest  in  the 
review  than  Professor  Stewart :  he  suggested  many  remarks,  and 
if  I  have  after  all  produced  a  thing  of  so  little  value,  that  fault 
is  my  own,  not  that  of  my  friends. 


474  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

I  hope  you  see  a  good  deal  of  Mrs.  Apreece,  and  like  her 
society  in  London  as  well  as  we  did  in  Edinburgh.  I  hear  from 
her  sometimes.  She  mentioned  that  you  suspected  me  to  be 
the  author  of  the  review. 

My  intention  was  to  have  been  in  London  in  the  beginning 
of  May ;  it  answers  better,  however,  for  Lord  John  Russell,  who 
lives  with  me,  and  means  to  go  to  town  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  journey  should  be  put  off  to  June.  Early  in  that 
month  I  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  in  North 
Audley  Street.  I  shall  request  to  be  permitted  to  introduce 
Lord  John  Russell  to  you ;  he  is  one  of  the  most  promising 
young  men  I  have  ever  met  with.  I  shall  not  be  able  to 
make  my  stay  in  London  so  long  as  I  would  wish. 

Farewell,  my  dear  madam,  and  believe  me  to  be,  your  sincere 
and  attached  friend, 

JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 

Saturday,  20#A. — I  walked  out  with  Lady  Hardwicke 
in  the  shrubbery,  to  be  told,  by  Catherine's  desire,  that 
her  fate  is  fixed.  I  was  surprised,  having  no  idea  that 
they  had  been  much  acquainted.  I  rejoice  as  it  is 
pleasing  them  all,  and  as  the  person  in  question*  is  a  man 
that  Lady  Hardwicke  can  marry,  as  well  as  her  daughter 
— a  thing  absolutely  necessary  with  her  darling  Cathe- 
rine. 

Monday,  22nd. — Tittenhanger.  Drove  to  St.  Albans, 
about  three  miles  off.  We  called  on  Lady  Spencer,  who 
was  not  in  the  country.  From  thence  we  went  to  the 
Abbey  church,  for  so  it  was,  and  as  large  as  a  cathedral. 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  very  fine  Gothic  ornament 
applied  to  the  walls  of  a  very  old  Saxon  church,  a  part 
of  which  remains  in  its  primitive  Saxonity.  The  tomb 
of  Humphrey,  the  good  Duke  of  Gloucester,  very  fine, 
but  there  is  another  much  finer;  and  indeed,  on  the 
upper  part,  the  most  beautiful  proportioned  Gothic  pierced 
work  I  ever  saw,  viz.  the  chapel  tomb  of  an  Abbot 

*  Lord  Caledon. 


1811]  KENSINGTON   GARDENS.  475 

Eamrudge.  Rams  are  scattered  all  over  the  friezes, 
followed  by  the  Gothic  letters  nidge,  to  give  his  name. 
The  stone  of  this,  and  all  the  ornamented  parts  of  this 
church,  from  Caen  in  Normandy.  Why  this  ?  I  know 
not. 

Saturday,  27th.  —  Went  at  eleven  o'clock,  with  my 
father,  to  Little  Strawberry  Hill.  In  spite  of  business 
I  had  to  do  or  to  think  of,  I  took  a  melancholy  round  of 
the  place  by  myself — recalling  a  thousand  things  and  a 
thousand  scenes  to  my  memory.  My  melancholy  at 
quitting  this  little  place  is  always  extreme ;  and  now 
that  I  have  no  longer  any  hold  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  that  this  is  let  for  a  twelvemonth,  probably  longer, 
in  spite  of  all  the  trouble  and  expense  it  saves  me,  of 
which  I  must  rejoice  to  be  quit — the  bidding  adieu  to  a 
home  at  Twickenham  can  never  be  without  a  melancholy 
pang. 

Sunday,  28th. — Went  with  Mrs.  Locke  to  Kensington 
Gardens.  They  were  as  full  as  possible.  Neither  she 
nor  I  saw  a  single  face  that  we  knew,  till  we  met  Lord 
Aberdeen,  and  Mr.  Ward,  who  joined  us.  The  complexion 
of  the  company  in  these  gardens  is  altered  since  I  was 
there  of  a  Sunday  —  always  crowded  with  middling 
people,  yet  all  the  fine  ladies  used  to  come  and  show  off 
their  charms  to  the  admiring  mob  ;  but  now  they  have 
nothing  to  admire  but  one  another. 

I  dined  at  Mrs.  Apreece's ;  the  party,  Sydney  Smith, 
Jeffrey,  Malthus,  Mr.  Chinery,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tighe,  and 
A.  Turner.  I  sat  by  Malthus,  and  had  a  good  deal  of 
conversation  with  him — interesting,  when  one  gets  over 
his  painful  manner  of  speaking  from  wanting  a  palate  to 
his  mouth,  and  having  had  a  hair-lip — not,  however,  at 
all  unpleasant  in  appearance. 

Tuesday,  May  1th. — Dined  at  Eogers's.  After  dinner, 
Thomas  Moore  sung  a  good  deal — his  own  Melalogue — 
a  thing  with  words  of  his,  set  to  old  music,  which  had 


476  MISS  BEEKY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

been  rehearsed  on  the  stage  at  Dublin — something  in  the 
style  of  Collins's  Ode.  I  thought  little  of  it,  although  he 
both  rehearses  the  words  and  plays  the  music  admirably. 

Sunday,  12th. — The  finest  summer  day.  I  went  to 
church,  and,  at  three  o'clock,  to  Kensington  Gardens. 
Never  went  near  the  crowd,  which  was  enormous,  and 
gay  and  beautiful  at  a  distance.  The  smell  of  the  grass 
and  flowering  shrubs,  from  the  recent  rain,  and  the 
freshness  and  luxuriance  of  everything,  perfectly  beauti- 
ful. Such  a  lucky  combination  of  weather  and  season 
does  not  often  occur  in  an  English  spring.  I  have  seen 
years  without  a  single  day  and  moment  in  them  like  this. 

Tuesday,  14^A. —  Went  to  see  West's  picture  at  the 
British  Institution  in  Pall  Mall,  and  to  the  water-colour 
drawings  in  Bond  Street,  West's  picture  is  a  fine  com- 
position, and  has  very  fine  parts  in  it ;  in  the  back 
ground  he  comes  in  with  his  iron  outline  and  his  mistiness 
as  usual.  At  the  water-colours  little  real  good,  but 
Eichter's  things,  which  have  twice  the  genius  of  Heaphy's 
in  the  same  style. 

Friday,  17 th. — In  the  morning  I  went  to  Lady  Charle- 
mont,  at  Nollekens',*  who  is  modelling  a  bust  of  her, — 
badly  enough  as  to  real  taste  and  expression.  Looked 
over  all  his  things.  The  statue  of  Mr.  Pitt,  for  the  Senate 
House  at  Cambridge,  very  like.  In  the  evening  we  went 
to  the  Marcets'jf  in  Eussell  Square,  where  Eacine's  tragedy 


*  Joseph  Nollekens,  a  celebrated  sculptor,  bom  1737,  R.A.  in  1772,  died 
1823,  in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  leaving  a  fortune  of  nearly 
£200,000.— Rose's  Eiog.  Diet. 

t  Dr.  Marcet,  a  learned  physician  and  experimental  philosopher,  born  at 
Geneva,  1770,  educated  at  Edinburgh,  practised  in  London.  He  retired 
from  his  profession  on  coming  into  a  fortune,  in  1820  was  elected  Incumbent 
of  the  Council  and  Honorary  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of 
Geneva ;  died  1821. 

Jane  Marcet,  wife  to  Dr.  Marcet,  daughter  of  Mr.  Haldimand,  a 
wealthy  Swiss  merchant  settled  in  London,  born  1769.  Her  earliest  work 
was  '  Conversations  on  Chemistry,'  followed  by  '  Conversations  on  Political 
Economy/  1816,  pronounced  by  Mr.  Maculloch  to  be  'on  the  whole  the  best 


1811]  VISIT  TO  JOANNA   BAILLIE.  477 

of '  Berenice '  was  acted  by  a  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lullin,  and 
three  other  persons  whose  names  I  could  not  make  out. 
None  of  them  French.  Mr.  Lullin  is  a  Genevois,  and  his 
wife  an  Englishwoman ;  consequently  they  all  spoke  with 
an  accent,  and  none  of  them  had  the  true  recitation  of 
French  dramatic  verse ;  but  as  they  acted  with  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  feeling  and  unction,  and  as  Mrs.  Lullin 
is  a  very  pretty  woman,  with  a  charming  speaking  voice 
and  a  great  expression  of  softness,  it  was  interesting,  and 
sufficiently  well  done  to  make  one  admire  the  beauty  of 
Eacine's  most  French  tragedy. 

This,  I  was  glad  to  see,  was  the  feeling  of  the  whole 
English  audience,  which  consisted  principally  of  the  most 
fashionable  young  people  in  town. 

After '  Berenice,'  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lullin  gave  us  '  Defiance 
and  Malice,'  really  very  well. 

Saturday,  18th. — I  went  with  Joanna  Baillie  to  Hamp- 
stead,  to  remain  till  Monday.  Dined  before  four,  and 
went  out  upon  the  Heath.  Sat  for  above  two  hours  in  a 
delicious  fine  evening  ;  afterwards  read  over  together '  The 
Two  Martius,'  *  and  criticised  them,  and  likewise  some  of 
my  other  scraps,  which  I  think  Joanna  liked  less  than  I 
expected. 

Sunday,  19th. — Sat  by  the  fire  the  whole  day.  Joanna 
Baillie  gave  us  her  drama  upon  Hope  to  read  ;  it  is  only 
two  acts,  and  I  was  soon  through  it.  Very  poetical,  and 
much  fancy,  as  all  her  things  have ;  but  this  did  not  equal 
my  expectation — how  high  it  was  I  know  not.  It  is  cer- 
tainly a  sufficiently  dramatic  story,  but  not  dramatically 
managed. 

introduction  to  the  science  that  has  yet  appeared.'  Mrs.  Marcet  wrote  on 
various  other  subjects,  and  is  entitled  to  the  lasting  gratitude  of  her 
numerous  readers  for  the  patience  and  skill  with  which  she  disentangled  the 
difficulties  of  various  branches  of  science,  and  rendered  their  study  com- 
paratively easy.  Died  1858. 

*  This  piece,  often  alluded  to  in  Miss  Berry's  Journal,  was  never  pub- 
lished, and  there  is  no  trace  of  the  MS.  amongst  her  papers. — ED, 


478  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isii 

Monday,  27th. — In  the  evening  to  Lady  Hertford's ;  an 
enormous  assembly  ;  all  the  Princes. 

Wednesday,  29th. — Went  to  Lady  Stafford's.  We  got 
into  chairs  in  St.  James's  Street,  the  string  of  carriages 
was  so  long.  1,500  cards  had  been  issued,  and  yet  it  did 
not  make  a  positive  crowd  in  that  great  house,*  except 
near  the  circles  where  the  Prince  stood. 

Thursday,  30th. — Went  with  my  sister  to  Kensington. 
A  numerous  ball ;  the  Princess  mighty  gracious.  I  had 
a  long  and  almost  an  affecting  conversation  with  her, 
because  for  the  first  time  she  seemed  to  feel  her  own 
situation,  while  she  continues  very  good-natured  to 
others. 

Saturday,  June  1st. — In  the  evening  to  Mrs.  Siddons's, 
at  Westbourne  Farm.  Went  before  ten  o'clock.  The 
whole  house  was  illuminated,  on  the  outside  with  coloured 
lamps,  and  in  the  inside  with  candles,  and  every  bush  in 
the  garden  with  lamps.  In  short,  it  was  the  prettiest 
little  Vauxhall  that  could  be,  and  a  vast  many  people 
there.  After  staying  very  agreeably  for  about  an  hour, 
went  to  Kensington.  Music  at  the  Princess's,  and  about 
thirty  people  supped  together. 

Saturday,  8th. — Went  to  Lady  Cork's.f  A  curious 
party,  where,  by  way  of  something  to  do,  she  had  had 
Th  el  wall  J  reading  Milton's  '  Invocation  to  Light,'  so 
abominably  as  to  amuse  or  shock  all  the  company. 


*  Cleveland  House,  since  pulled  down  and  replaced  by  Bridgewater  House, 
the  residence  of  the  Earl  of  Ellesmere. 

t  Mary,  daughter  of  first  Viscount  Galway,  second  wife  of  Edmund, 
seventh  Earl  of  Cork.  Lord  Cork  died  1798,  Lady  Cork,  1840. 

1  Thelwall,  a  miscellaneous  writer,  political  agitator,  and  lecturer  on  elo- 
cution, born  1764,  son  of  a  silk  mercer,  apprenticed  to  a  tailor,  he  was  then 
articled  to  an  attorney,  but  abandoned  that  profession  and  embraced  litera- 
ture as  a  profession.  He  became  a  member  of  the  London  Corresponding 
Society,  and  of  that  of  the  Friend  of  the  People.  He  was  tried  for  high 
treason  with  Home  Tooke  and  Thomas  Hardy  in  1794,  defended  by  Mr. 
Erskine,  and  acquitted.  In  1801  he  became  a  lecturer  on  elocution,  taking 
pupils  to  cure  stammering  and  defects  of  speech.  Amongst  other  works  he 


1811]  THE   PRINCESS   OF   WALES.  479 

Sunday,  Qth. — Dined  with  the  Princess  of  Wales  at 
Blackheath.  Dining-room,  a  la  Gothique,  very  pretty, 
but  the  rest  of  the  house  in  abominable  taste.  After 
dinner,  the  Princess  walked  with  me  in  the  garden,  and 
fell  into  talking  of  her  own  story,  with  which  she  began 
from  her  early  youth,  and  continued  in  detail  to  the  epoch 
of  her  marriage,  and  in  still  greater  detail  since.  Every 
circumstance  of  the  Prince's  behaviour  to  her  at  and  after 
their  marriage  ;  every  circumstance  of  the  contrivances 
for  getting  her  out  of  Carlton  House ;  his  character, 
which  she  knows  perfectly ;  the  Queen's,  which  she 
abhors,  and  whom  she  believes  to  be  her  greatest  enemy; 
her  own  father's  and  mother's,  &c.  &c.  In  short,  after 
coming  in  to  get  some  tea  and  put  on  a  shawl,  she 
resumed  her  walk  and  her  talk  to  me  till  past  one  in  the 
morning.  Luckily,  it  was  the  finest  moonlight  night  that 
ever  was. 

Thursday,  13th. — Dined  at  the  Princess  of  Wales's,  at 
Kensington.  After  dinner,  the  Princess  walked  out  with 
me  on  the  gravel  walk  before  the  windows,  and  resumed 
the  conversation  of  Blackheath,  drawing  me  into  a  window 
and  asking  me  if  I  had  thought  upon  the  conversation  we 
had  the  other  day.  I  am  not  altogether  so  well  satisfied 
with  this  one  as  with  the  other.  It  seems  to  me  that  she 
has  more  to  fear. 

Wednesday,  19^. — Promised  to  dine  at  Kensington. 
Found  nobody  but  Lady  Glenbervie  ready  dressed  for 
the  Eegent's  fete  in  the  evening.  At  eight  Lady  Glen- 
bervie set  off,  leaving  us  three  alone  with  the  Princess, 
and  without  any  hope  of  being  able  to  get  away  till 
she  came  back.  I  took  upon  myself  the  office  of 
Dragon,  and  declared  we  must  all  four  keep  together  the 
whole  evening,  for  fear  any  stories  were  to  be  made  of 

wrote  f  Poems  in  the  Tower  and  in  Newgate,'  '  The  Tribune,'  '  Political 
Miscellanies,'  'A  Letter  on  Stammering,'  'The  Peripatetic,'  and  'The 
Daughter  of  Adoption,'  a  novel ;  died  1834. — Rose's  liiog. 


480  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [mi 

any  of  us  the  next  day,  on  the  only  evening  in  the  year 
when  the  Princess  was  without  any  of  her  ladies. 

We  first  walked  in  the  gardens,  which  had  a  number 
of  people  in  them  ;  then  the  Princess  played  a  great  deal 
on  the  piano,  in  a  manner  to  convince  one  she  had  played 
very  well,  but  had  been  out  of  the  habit  of  playing. 
Afterwards  we  talked  of  her  and  her  education,  and  her 
various  and  curious  governesses,  &c.  &c.,  till  near  twelve 
o'clock,  when  we  supped,  and  in  half-an-hour  afterwards 
arrived  Lady  Glenbervie,  who  had  very  cleverly  done  her 
business  at  the  fete,  seen  everything  but  the  supper,  and 
gave  us  a  very  good  account  of  everything  she  had  seen. 
But  the  Princess  kept  us  so  long  hearing  it  that  we  were 
ah1  exhausted,  and  it  was  past  two  o'clock  before  we  got 
home. 

Monday,  24?A. — Went  to  see  Carlton  House,  which 
remained  with  its  decorations,  and  the  servants  in  their 
state  uniforms,  and  the  Yeomen  of  the  Guard  in  every 
room. 

The  crowd  was  great  at  the  gateway,  and  we  should 
have  had  much  difficulty  of  getting  in,  if  Lady  Ellen- 
borough  had  not  sent  for  Sayer,  one  of  the  Bow  Street 
officers,  who  was  cap-in-hand  to  the  chief-justice's 
kdy. 

Within  the  house,  too,  the  crowd  was  great,  but  not 
such  as  to  impede  one  another,  except  in  the  doorways ; 
all  the  servants  were  uncommonly  civil  and  attentive  in 
accommodating  the  people,  and  making  them  go  the  right 
way.  The  house  is  magnificent,  and  the  Gothic  green- 
house or  conservatory,  where  the  Prince  supped,  though 
ridiculous  for  the  purpose  it  was  built  for,  certainly  made 
a  most  beautiful  and  richly-ornamented  supper  room.  All 
the  plate  was  still  upon  the  table,  and  all  the  magnificent 
gold  plate  upon  the  sideboard,  in  three  ranks,  at  the  top 
of  the  room,  behind  where  the  Prince  sat ;  all  the  knives, 
forks,  spoons,  &c.  &c.,  yet  spread  upon  it,  and  so  few 


1811]  BALL  AT   DEVONSHIRE   HOUSE.  481 

people  to  guard  and  watch  it,  as  really  was  creditable  to 
the  honesty  of  John  Bull. 

The  temporary  rooms  in  the  garden  are  immense,  and 
admirably  contrived,  and  I  dare  say  when  lighted  up 
must  have  been  very  handsome. 

Wednesday,  26th. — To  the  ball  at  Devonshire  House. 
The  ball  brilliant,  from  all  the  women  having  on  their 
Carlton  House  gowns,  and  many  their  feathers.  The 
Prince  there ;  he  passed  me  in  the  drawing-room  when 
there  were  only  a  few  people.  I  was  standing  by  Lady 
Elizabeth  Whitehead,  and  just  behind  Lady  Melbourne,  to 
whom  he  spoke,  but  avoided  letting  his  eye  fall  upon  me. 
So  I  am  satisfied  that  Kensington  sticks  in  his  throat,  and 
qu'il  se  venge  des  grands  sur  les  petites. 

Thursday,  27th. — Left  London  to  go  to  Danesfield. 

Saturday,  29th. — Went  in  Mrs.  Scott's  barouche  to 
Park  Place.  Instead  of  driving  up,  as  formerly,  to  the 
house  to  see  Park  Place,  carriages  turn  up  by  the 
Horse  Shoes,  Lord  Malmesbury  having  bought  all  the 
intervening  land.  •  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  melan- 
choly I  felt  at  again  finding  myself  at  Park  Place.  We 
entered  it  by  the  kitchen  garden,  and  from  thence  into 
the  little  flower-garden,  where  several  recollections  totally 
overcame  me.  They  needed  not  the  additional  melan- 
choly which  the  forlorn,  the  neglected,  the  ruined  look  of 
everything  gave  them.  Had  I  known  nothing  of  the 
inhabitants  I  could  have  sworn,  only  from  seeing  the 
place,  that  they  cared  little  for  the  country.  Poor  Park 
Place !  how  changed  in  every  particular  !  The  alterations 
made  in  the  inside  of  the  house  are,  I  think,  not  good. 
The  furniture  of  the  library  is  certainly  improved,  for 
there  is  a  fine  collection  of  books  in  it ;  a  folio  edition  of 
all  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics,  probably  having  belonged 
to  Hermes,*  besides  very  fine  copies  of  all  the  diplomatic 
books,  dictionaries,  foreign  topography,  &c.  &c.  I  shall 

*  Mr.  Harris,  father  of  the  first  Lord  Malmesbury. 
VOL.  II.  I  I 


482  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [mi 

probably  never  see  it  again,  nor  do  I  wish  it ;  lest  the 
image  of  it  in  its  present  state  should  derange  and  confuse 
my  former  recollections  of  its  beauties,  its  comforts,  its 
inhabitants,  and  my  last  winter  visit  there,  when  I  vainly 
hoped  for  and  looked  forward  to  happiness  within  my 
grasp !  We  returned  by  Medenham  Ferry.  Close  by 
the  ferry  house  is  the  abbey,  which  belongs  to  Mrs.  Scott. 
There  is  a  good  room  for  drinking  tea  in ;  the  rest  in  a 
sort  of  ruin,  except  that  inhabited  by  the  woman  who 
takes  care  of  it.  The  rooms  that  are  said  to  have  been 
occupied  by  Wilkes,  Paul  Whitehead,  &c.,  members  of 
the  famous  or  infamous  club  that  met  here  forty  or  fifty 
years  ago,  are  such  rooms  for  size  and  convenience  as  no 
luxurious  debauchers  would  condescend  to  inhabit  now.* 
There  are  remains  in  the  room  called  Wilkes's  of  a  large 
cradle,  in  which  it  is  said  he  slept.  From  Medenham  a 
beautiful  drive  of  a  mile,  through  hayfields  belonging  to 
Danesfield.  In  the  evening  I  read  out  to  them,  but  my 
spirits  had  not  at  all  recovered  Park  Place. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  to  Mrs.  Darner. 

Danesfield,  June  30th,  1811. 

I  was  at  Park  Place  yesterday.  It  had  rained  much  in  the 
night,  and  was  a  gray,  damp,  melancholy  day,  suiting  well  with 
the  feelings  I  carried  to  it.  Never  did  I  see  a  place  which, 
without  being  much  altered,  is  so  perfectly  changed,  so  triste, 
so  comfortless !  Everything  is  neglected  :  the  seats  all  falling 
to  pieces,  the  trees  overgrown  in  some  places  and  in  others 
dead  and  left  standing,  the  poor  little  flower  garden  with  its 
fountain  dry  and  its  borders  flowerless,  its  little  arcades  over- 

*  This  club  consisted  of  twelve  members ;  the  motto  (from  Rabelais) 
over  the  grand  entrance  was  '  Ce  queje  voudras.'  Although  the  club  became 
notorious,  and  their  disgusting  profanity  was  well  known,  it  proved  no  bar 
either  to  the  reception  of  the  members  in  society  or  to  the  advancement  in 
the  State  of  Sir  Francis  Dashwood,  the  founder,  who  officiated  as  high 
Priest,  and  who  became  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  Lord  Sandwich,  First 
Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  and  Wilkes  everything  that  the  sober  citizens  of 
London  could  make  of  him. 


1811]  MRS.    SHERIDAN.  483 

grown  and  broke,  and  the  thorn,  tree  in  the  middle  let  to  spread 
over  the  whole  space.  Oh,  how  every  step  of  it  affected  me ! 
I  saw  you  and  0*H.  sitting  under  this  thorn  tree  in  its  trim  days, 
and  myself  having  left  you  merely  to  enjoy  the  delicious  sensa- 
tion of  knowing  you  were  expressing  for  me  every  sentiment 
I  could  wish  to  inspire.  I  saw  him  following  me  into  the  laurel 
walk,  and  in  giving  me  a  letter  (which  I  had  accidentally 
dropped)  in  a  joking  manner,  first  convincing  me  of  the  seri- 
ousness of  the  sentiment  I  had  inspired.  I  sat  down  at  the 
end  of  the  library,  and  saw  your  form  at  the  bottom,  on  a 
ladder,  arranging  the  new-placed  books,  and  the  look  you  gave 
and  recalled,  when  you  found  us  sitting  at  the  other  end  of  the 
room,  just  where  you  had  left  us  when  you  returned  again  to 
your  work  ....  I  am  so  glad  I  have  seen  Park  Place 
once,  in  spite  of  all  the  melancholy  it  inspired,,  but  I  should  be 
sorry  to  see  more  of  it. 

JOUKNAL. 

Wednesday,  July  3rd. — Eeturned  to  London. 

Thursday,  l\th. — Went  to  Lady  Cork's ;  a  great  assem-*"\ 
bly  in  her  upper  rooms,  which  are  very  prettily  furnished, 
particularly  the  boudoir,  opening  into  the  conservatory. 
The  Prince  there,  and  all  the  world ;  and  a  numerous 
world  is  still  in  London.  There  were  some  masks,  and 
some  people  singing,  and  Mrs.  Billington  at  a  piano-forte.  | 

Thursday,  Aug.  1st. — I  saw  Mrs.  Sheridan*  by  appoint-"" 
ment  in  the  morning,  at  her  own  house,  about  poor 
Kichardson.  Curious  conversation  on  the  subject  of  her 
husband  and  their  pecuniary  necessities.  She  cannot  get 
101.  to  carry  her  out  of  London.  Spoke  and  acts  most 
kindly  about  poor  Eichardson. 

Friday,  2nd. — Went  to  Mrs.  Villiers',  where  was  a 
regular  ball  of  all  that  remained  in  London  of  dancers, 
and  much  the  usual  tapisserie  of  the  walls  of  a  ballroom  ; 
the  Dowagers  Eutland  and  Essex,  Lady  Clare,  &c.  Mrs. 

*  Miss  Esther  Jane  Ogle,  daughter  of  the  Dean  of  Winchester,  married 
to  Mr.  Sheridan,  1796. 

11  2: 


484  MISS  BERET'S  JOUENAL.  [isn 

Sheridan  (to  my  utter  amazement),  after  the  conversation 
we  had  had  the  day  before,  was  waltzing  away  there,  the 
gayest  among  the  gay.  What  happy  versatility  of  mind ! 
But,  after  all,  what  skin-deep  gaiety ! 

Saturday r,  3rd. — Sat  for  a  long  time  with  Lady  Georgi- 
ana  Morpeth ;  the  first  time  I  have  seen  her  since  her 
father's  death.  She  was,  as  always,  most  right-feeling ; 
and  I  parted  with  her,  as  I  always  do,  with  sincere  affec- 
tion and  regret. 

Sunday,  kth. — Went  to  Tunbridge  Wells. 

The  following  letter,  addressed  to  Lady  Georgiana 
Morpeth,  on  the  subject  of  the  position  to  which  her 
brother  had  succeeded  by  his  father's  death,  is  one  of  the 
many  proofs  in  Miss  Berry's  writings  of  how  justly  she 
appreciated  the  duties  attached  to  the  possession  of 
honours  and  power  : — 

Tunbridge,  9th  August,  1811. 

MY  DEAREST  Gr , — What  you  say  is  what  the   anxious 

mind  of  true,  real  and  deep  affection  must  necessarily  feel  of 
any  person,  however  amiable,  at  his  age,  placed  in  his  trying, 
or  to  use  his  own  just  expression,  awful  situation !  for  awful  it 
is  to  the  thinking  mind,  as  comprising  at  once  the  power  and 
the  occasion  of  being  nobly  distinguished  among  men,  or  in 
spite  of  all  the  lace  and  fringe  of  life,  to  link  to  that  order  of 
beings,  whose  sentiments  high  birth  cannot  ennoble,  whose 
heart  the  blessed  power  of  doing  good  cannot  warm,  and  whose 
character  can  never  rise  to  their  station.  The  more  I  think  of 
my  friend  Hartington,  the  more  I  feel  confirmed  in  my  first 
ideas  on  his  subject,  that  the  being  so  early  called  to  the  per- 
formance of  great,  serious,  and  varied  duties,  will  confirm  all 
the  good  qualities  we  have  already  known  in  him,  and  steady 
and  settle  his  character.  But  not  to  feel  anxious  about  him  for 
the  next  year  or  two,  is  to  be  either  incapable  of  appreciating 
his  present  virtues,  or  insensible  to  his  future  success. 

Saturday,  -10$. —  Dined  at  Mrs.  Tighe's.     The  party 
consisted  of  Miss  White,*  Mr.  Ward,  Mr.  Luttrell,  and 

*  Miss  Lydia  White,  well  known  in  the  literary  society  of  her  time. 


1811]  MEMOIRS   OF  MRS.   HUTCHINSOX.  485 

myself.  Mr.  Luttrell  entertaining,  and  Mr.  Ward  rather 
more  serious,  and  therefore  more  agreeable  than  usual. 
But  his  manners  are  bad,  and  with  a  sort  of  affectation 
of  worldism,  smell  most  strongly  of  never  having  been 
in  any  other  world  than  that  of  London. 

Wednesday r,  Sept.  kth.  —  Tunbridge  Wells.  At  twelve 
o'clock  we  set  out  for  Hever  Castle  ten  miles  from  hence. 
The  view  from  the  little  castle  (for  it  is  smallj  surrounded 
by  the  moat  in  good  preservation,  and  filled  with  water), 
is  charming.  Still  more  interesting  is  the  inside,  which, 
in  spite  of  an  ugly  new  staircase  and  other  disfigurements, 
has  remained  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Sir  Thomas 
BuUeyny  the  father  of  Anne  Bulleyn.  It  is  now  the 
habitation  of  a  large  farmer.  The  large  dining-room  is 
as  it  was,  with  its  buttery,  its  large  table,  and  some 
cupboards  certainly  contemporary.  There  is  also  a 
gallery  at  the  top  of  the  house,  with  the  old  woodwork 
and  old  ceiling.  The  little  court  remains  unchanged ;  and 
the  great  oaken  entrance-door  under  the  tower  is  studded 
with  thick  nails,  and  is  probably  as  old  as  the  date  of 
Edward  IK 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Miss  Berry  to  Mrs.  Darner. 

Tunbridge,  1811. 

I  read  a  great  deal  every  morning,  and  indeed  often  of  an 
evening ;  I  don't  know  if  any  good  will  come  of  it,  it  does  not 
seem  yet  to  have  cleared  my  head  as  to  any  use  I  can  make  of 
it.  But  in  the  meantime,  I  am  more  delighted  with  Mrs. 
Hutchinson  *  than  with  any  book  I  have  read  for  an  age.  She 
was  a  really  superior  woman,  both  as  to  head  and  heart.  Her 
description  and  account  of  her  husband's  attachment  to  her,  is 
the  truest,  the  most  elevated  and  admirable  picture  of  love  and 
true  affection  from  and  to  a  superior  mind  that  can  be  imagined. 
It  fills  up  every  line  of  that  ideal  picture  long  ago  traced  by 

*  '  Memoirs  of  Colonel  Hutchinson,'  by  his  wife,  Lucy,  daughter  of  Sir 
Allan  Apsley,  born  1620.  The  Memoirs  were  not  published  till  1806, 


486  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isn 

imagination,  and  now  -engraved  by  reason  on  my  heart.  And 
in  the  sad  certainty  of  never  meeting  with  it,  I  feel  better 
pleased  with  myself  to  suffer  from  its  absence,  than  to  be  unable 
to  comprehend  or  to  deny  its  existence.  Farewell,  or  I  shall 
grow  romantic. 

Tuesday,  24;th. — We  set  out  for  Mayfield  with  Lady 
Charlemont,  Mrs.  Abercrombie,  Mrs.  Gordon,  and  my 
sister.  A  pretty  village,  with  a  fine  ruin  of  an  ancient 
palace  or  residence  of  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury ; 
the  most  modern  part  is  still  inhabited  by  farmers.  Mrs, 
Tighe,  Miss  White,  Mr.  Abercrombie,  and  Mr.  Tierney 
accompanied  us  on  horseback. 

Wednesday,  Oct.  2nd. — Drove,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gordon  and  Lady  Erroll,  to  Tunbridge  Castle.  I  had  no 
idea  of  the  beauty  of  the  ruin,  nor  of  the  goodness  of 
the  house  that  they  have  added  or  attached  at  the  side 
of  one  of  the  towers,  between  which  is  the  grand 
entrance-gate.  The  enclosure  of  the  castle  down  to  the 
river  is  a  lawn  and  a  shrubbery.  It  is  at  present  to  let ; 
and  we  went  all  over  it,  Mr.  Gordon  having  some  idea  of 
taking  it. 

Sunday,  27th. — Agnes  and  I  went  to  Mr.  Blake's,*  to 
see  his  drawings,  which  are  admirable.  He  sketches  in 
every  style,  and  always  well.  I  never  saw  a  more  perfect 
amateur. 

Wednesday,  30th. — Eeturned  to  London. 

Sunday,  Nov.  3rd. — In  the  evening  with  young  Law, 
who  talked  to  us  with  great  intelligence  of  Sicily,  where 
he  has  been  spending  five  months. 

Monday,  kth. — In  the  evening  Mrs.  Darner.  I  read 
Alfieri  in  Italian  —  but  what  Italian !  so  stuffed  with 
Tuscanisms,  so  fraught  with  words  immediately  derived 

*  The  late  William  Blake,  Esq.,  of  Portland  Place  and  Danesbury  Wel- 
wyn.  His  remarkable  talent  for  drawing  has  been  transmitted,  and  in  a  still 
higher  degree,  to  his  daughters,  whose  works  have  excited  the  greatest 
admiration,  both  in  private  and  at  the  Amateur  Exhibitions., 


1811]  LETTER   FROM   PROFESSOR   PLAYFAIR.  487 

from  the  Latin,  that  it  is  hardly  to  be  recognised  as  the 
language  of  Boccaccio,  Machievelli,  and  other  Italian 
classics. 

From  Professor  Playfair. 

Edinburgh,  21st  October,  1811. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — I  intended  to  have  written  you  a  very 
long  letter,  but  a  problem  I  have  been  engaged  on  this  morning 
has  made  me  forget  the  time  till  it  is  hard  on  the  hour  when 
Sir  John  Sebright's  frank  will  lose  its  efficacy.  .  .  . 

Have  you  been  able  to  follow  out  anything  of  the  plan  of 
reading  and  writing  that  we  talked  of? 

After  leaving  London,  I  stayed  for  a  week  at  Woburn,  and 
set  out  from  thence  with  Lord  J.  Russell  on  a  tour  through  the 
manufacturing  and  commercial  towns  in  the  West  of  England. 
This  turned  out  very  interesting,  and  took  longer  time  than  I 
had  foreseen.  Since  I  got  home  I  have  been  kept  so  close  at 
work  printing  a  text-book  of  Natural  Philosophy,  that  I  only 
got  leisure  enough  to  visit  Raith  in  the  course  of  the  last  fort- 
night. Sir  John  Sebright  and  I,  who  have  become  great  friends, 
went  there  together.  The  party  we  found  there,  though  large, 
was  exceeding  pleasant,  and  I  think,  on  the  whole,  there  cannot 
be  a  pleasanter  house  than  Raith  now  is.  Every  thing  goes  on 
well.  .  .  . 

I  have  been  very  much  amused  and  entertained  by  Sir  John 
Sebright ;  he  is  quite  a  singular  man ;  of  a  powerful  understand- 
ing, irregularly  instructed,  but  possessed  of  much  information, 
great  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  a  familiar  acquaintance  with 
a  vast  number  of  subjects  that  lie  quite  out  of  the  way  of  most 
people.  .  .  . 

I  hope  you  have  been  admiring  the  comet,  who  is  certainly 
one  of  the  most  splendid  guests  that  ever  made  a  visit  to  the 
solar  system. 

Yours,  my  dear  Miss  Berry,  with  the  utmost  affection  and 
esteem,  JOHN  PLAYFAIR. 

Wednesday,  ~L3th. — Before  four  o'clock  Lady  C.  Lindsay 
came  to  North  Audley  Street  in  the  Princess  of  Wales's 
carriage,  to  carry  me  to  Blackheath.  We  arrived  there 
soon  after  five  o'clock.  The  Princess  received  me  with 


488  MISS  BERKY'S  JOUENAL.  [mi 

all  possible  kindness.  After  talking  more  than  half  an 
hour,  Lady  Charlotte  took  me  to  my  apartments,  con- 
sisting of  two  rooms,  and  a  third  for  my  maid.  We 
dined  before  seven  o'clock.  The  Princess,  Lady  Char- 
lotte, and  myself  in  a  small  dining-room.  We  after- 
wards went  down  stairs  to  the  drawing-room,  which 
opens  into  the  greenhouse ;  a  very  warm  and  comfort- 
able room.  We  talked  a  great  deal,  and  separated  before 
one  o'clock. 

Thursday,  14#A. — I  awoke  with  a  bad  headache.  The 
Princess  came  to  Lady  Charlotte  immediately  after  break- 
fast, and  seeing  that  I  was  not  well,  begged  I  would 
remain  quite  quiet  all  the  morning,  telling  me  to  ask  for 
whatever  I  wished  to  have.  I  retired  to  my  own  com- 
fortable room  till  seven  o'clock,  when  I  was  well  enough 
to  go  to  dinner,  and  to  spend  the  evening  with  the 
Princess,  who  was  in  good  humour  and  very  talkative. 

Friday,  Ibth. — The  Princess  came  in  while  we  were 
breakfasting,  and  proposed  a  walk  in  the  garden.  Dr. 
Burney*  dined  and  stayed  here  in  the  evening,  and  we 
had  much  good  conversation.  The  Princess  of  Glou- 
cester and  her  brother  dined  with  the  Duchess  of 
Brunswick,  and  called  upon  the  Princess  in  the  afternoon. 

Saturday,  IQth.  —  The  Duke  of  Brunswick  came  to 
see  t  the  Princess ;  she  afterwards  stayed  talking  for  so 
long  in  Lady  Charlotte's  room,  that  we  did  not  dine  till 
eight  o'clock.  The  evening,  again,  long  conversation  till 
half-past  one  o'clock. 

Sunday,  Vlth. — Very  fine  winter's  day.  The  Princess, 
Lady  Charlotte,  and  I  went  to  Lea  Church ;  the  parish 
of  George  Locke  is  a  mile  from  here.  Small  country 
church,  in  a  charming  situation.  After  church  we  went 
into  his  house :  the  prettiest  parsonage,  with  the  gayest 
and  most  agreeable  view.  His  wife  was  ill,  and  could 

*  Probably  Dr.  Charles  Burney,  son  of  Dr.  Burney,  well  known  for  his 
works  on  music. 


1811]  PRINCESS  CHAELOTTE   AND  HER  MOTHER.  489 

not  see  the  Princess.  From  there  we  went  to  the 
Princess's  kitchen  garden  on  the  Heath,  where  she  has  a 
pavilion  with  two  or  three  rooms  furnished,  commanding 
a  magnificent  view  on  both  sides.  After  luncheon  we 
walked  under  the  wall  of  Greenwich  Park,  which  is  a 
sort  of  Sunday  promenade,  where  one  sees  a  great  many 
people — of  common  people  the  most  part,  not  recog- 
nising the  Princess. 

Monday,  18^. — Next  morning,  after  breakfast,  I  had 
by  chance  a  tete-a-tete  conversation  with  the  Princess  in 
Lady  Charlotte's  room.  It  was  chiefly  on  the  subject  of 
idle  frivolous  correspondence  that  people  would  keep  up 
with  her.  She  had  in  her  hand  a  letter  of  which  she 
was  speaking.  We  were  all  dressed  before  three  o'clock 
for  the  reception  of  Princess  Charlotte,  who  was  to  dine 
with  her  mother.  Princess  Sophia  of  Gloucester  arrived 
just  before,  with  Miss  Dee  :  then  Princess  Charlotte  with 
Lady  de  Clifford.  She  is  very  much  grown  and  improved 
in  figure  since  I  saw  her  last  January  at  Kensington.  I 
don't  know  whether  her  face  is  improved ;  her  mouth  is 
less  pleasing  and  less  resembling  her  father's  than  it  was  ; 
but  her  bust  is  perfect;  her  head  not  too  large,  and 
well  placed ;  has  much  intelligence  in  her  countenance, 
though  the  expression  is  not  very  agreeable ;  her  walk  is 
dreadful,  but  I  think  it  is  only  girlish  affectation,  which 
wih1  cure  itself.  We  dined  by  daylight — seven  women, 
and  not  one  man  ;  an  unheard-of  thing  at  the  Princess's. 
After  dinner  we  went  down  to  the  drawing-room,  and 
there  stayed  till  past  seven  o'clock,  when  the  Princess 
Charlotte  and  her  governess  went  away.  Princess  Sophia 
and  her  lady  went  with  the  Princess  of  Wales  to  the 
Duchess  of  Brunswick,  and  I  departed  for  London. 

Tuesday,  Dec.  3re?. — We  went,  at  two  o'clock,  to  see 
Thornton's  library,  at  which  they  are  at  this  moment 
working.  It  is,  of  all  the  ideas  of  interior  decoration, 
the  most  extraordinary ;  it  is  a  Greek  temple,  like  one 


490  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [mi 

of  those  at  Paestum,  placed  in  the  interior  of  a  room, 
against  the  walls  of  which  the  books  are  arranged,  and 
between  which  walls  and  the  columns  of  the  temple  one 
can  pass  to  the  two  ends.  In  short,  it  is  the  ideas  of 
Gell,  Hope,  and  Mr.  Hopper  (the  architect  employed), 
mixed  and  confused  by  the  orders  of  our  friend  Thorn- 
ton, who  has  not  a  single  idea  of  his  own  upon  these 
subjects. 

Thursday ',  oth. — Went  to  Brighton. 

Friday,  \%th. — Went  with  Lady  Charlotte  to  hear  the 
military  band  in  the  Prince's  Pavilion.  Luckily,  we  only 
heard  two  pieces,  for  the  noise  of  so  many  loud  instru- 
ments in  a  room  (the  dining-room)  which  could  hardly 
hold  them,  was  not  a  remedy  for  my  headache.  After 
the  music,  having  an  order,  we  saw  the  apartments  of  the 
Pavilion.  All  is  Chinese,  quite  overloaded  with  china 
of  all  sorts  and  of  all  possible  forms,  many  beautiful  in 
themselves,  but  so  overloaded  one  upon  another,  that  the 
effect  is  more  like  a  china  shop  baroquement  arranged, 
than  the  abode  of  a  Prince.  All  is  gaudy,  without 
looking  gay ;  and  all  is  crowded  with  ornaments,  without 
being  magnificent.  The  interior  of  the  stables  is  im- 
posing, though  badly  arranged  for  the  comfort  of  the 
horses,  and  will  only  accommodate  sixty  beneath  this 
large  building.  The  riding  house,  which  is  attached  to 
it,  perfectly  suits  its  purpose,  and  is,  I  think,  likely  not  to 
be  finished,  though  it  is  the  only  part  of  the  habitation 
of  the  Prince  which  deserves  preservation.  He  ought  to 
have  a  tennis  court  of  the  same  size,  making  a  pendant 
to  the  riding  house. 

Saturday,  ~L4tth. — Eeturned  to  North  Audley  Street. 

Tuesday,  24:th. — Went  to  Wimpole  with  the  Charle- 
monts. 

Wednesday,  25th. — Went  to  the  dairy,  and  to  see  the 
Gnu,  the  animal  that  Lord  Caledon  had  brought  for  Lord 
Hardwicke  from  the  Cape.  It  is  the  most  singular  animal 


1811]  THE   GNU.  491 

that  I  have  ever  seen,  larger  than  an  ass  of  this  country, 
resembling  no  other  in  particular  ;  having  two  immense 
horns  and  a  ferocious  look,  though  doing  no  harm.  It 
is  a  female,  and  comes  from  a  mountainous  country  far  in 
the  interior  of  Africa,  at  the  north  of  the  Cape. 


492  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isi2 


1812. 

Wimpole. —  Wednesday,  January  ~Lst. — Went  with  Eliza- 
beth *  to  the  school.  The  children  have  always  a  dinner 
on  New  Year's  Day.  It  was  in  the  school  upon  forms 
arranged  as  tables.  The  children  behaved  themselves 
very  well,  and  after  dinner  we  begged  the  schoolmistress 
to  relax  her  discipline  and  allow  a  little  talking.  We  made 
the  children  sing,  and  the  most  perfect  happiness  beamed 
upon  forty-five  young  and  innocent  faces,  f 

Friday,  3rd. — Eeturned  to  London. 

Tuesday,  14fA.  —  Drove  with  Lady  C.  Campbell  to 
Blackheath.  We  found  the  Princess,  who  received  me 
in  the  most  gracious  manner  possible.  Poor  Charlotte 
was  so  overcome  with  fatigue,  that  I  was  left  tete-a-tete 
till  half-past  seven  o'clock,  when  we  separated  to  dress,  I 
almost  dead  with  so  much  talking.  The  toilette  of  the 
Princess  is  always  so  rapid,  that  it  was  impossible  not  to 
keep  her  waiting  a  few  minutes.  Lady  Charlotte  joined 
us  at  dinner,  and  the  evening  passed  very  agreeably. 

Wednesday,  15  th — A  fine  winter's  day.  We  did  not 
see  the  Princess  till  luncheon  at  four  o'clock,  and  from 
that' time  till  seven  o'clock  we  remained  in  conversation  ; 
then  dinner,  and  again  conversation  till  nearly  one 
o'clock. 

Thursday,  ]&th. — I  remained  quietly  in  my  room  till 
three  o'clock,  when  the  Princess  sent  for  me  to  take  a 

*  Lady  Elizabeth  Yorke. 

t  The  desire  to  promote  both  the  education  and  the  recreation  of  the 
children  of  the  poor  has  happily  now  become  almost  wholly  universal  in 
this  country ;  but  not  the  less  honour  is  due  to  those  who  early  in  the  cen- 
tury formed  a  small  minority,  but  who  set  the  example  and  took  the  lead  in 
that  good  work. 


1812]  PRINCE    OF   WALES'S   LETTER.  493 

walk  to  Mr.  Angerstein's  house.  After  luncheon  went 
with  the  Princess  to  the  Duchess  of  Brunswick,  to  whom 
she  presented  me,  and  with  whom  I  had  a  long  talk. 
The  Duchess  sat  in  her  arm-chair  in  the  middle  of  a  fine 
large  drawing-room,  the  Princess  on  one  side,  and  I  on 
the  other.  She  invited  me  to  dine  with  her  the  next 
day ;  but  the  Princess  telling  her  that  I  was  obliged  to 
return  home,  insisted  that  we  should  dine  there  this  day, 
to  which  the  Princess  consented,  and  there  we  were  in 
our  walking  dress  talking  till  five  o'clock,  when  dinner 
was  served.  It  was  a  tolerable  dinner,  with  German 
dishes,  that  they  forced  me  to  taste.  At  half  past  six  we 
took  coffee,  and  returned  to  the  Princess's.  After  half  an 
hour's  conversation,  separated  to  dress  for  the  Princess's 
dinner,  from  which  she  did  not  excuse  us,  though  it  was 
an  impossibility  to  eat  again.  Evening  passed  as  usual. 

Friday,  \lth. — Returned  to  town. 

Thursday,  February  13th. — I  had  a  long  and  very 
agreeable  tete-a-tete  with  the  Duke  of  Devonshire.  He 
thinks  so  well,  so  sensibly,  and  has  so  good  a  heart,  that 
he  always  gives  me  pleasure  when  he  talks  openly. 

Sunday,  16th. — It  is  already  known,  and  they  were 
talking  at  dinner  of  the  letter  which  the  Prince  of  Wales 
has  written  to  the  Duke  of  York,*  telling  him  that  he 
should  keep  the  same  ministers  after  the  18th  of  this 
month,  when  all  restrictions  would  cease,  and  he  would 
govern  completely  as  King.  , 

Wednesday,  26th. — The  morning  at  Devonshire  House, 

*  The  Prince's  celebrated  letter  to  the  Duke  of  York,  announcing  his  in- 
tention of  retaining  the  Tory  administration,  and  thus  renouncing  the  Whig 
party,  whom  he  had  hitherto  regarded  as  his  own  political  friends,  created 
great  indignation,  and  amongst  other  satirical  poems  gave  rise  to  Moore's 
Parody  of  the  Letter,  beginning — 

'  At  length,  dearest  Freddy,  the  moment  is  nigh, 
When,  with  P-rc-v-1's  leave,  I  may  throw  my  chains  by ; 
And,  as  time  now  is  precious,  the  first  thing  I  do 
Is  to  sit  down  and  write  a  wise  letter  to  you.' 
—Moore's  Works,  vol.  v.  p.  223. 


494  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1812 

where  I  found  the  Duke  in  his  library  with  the  Marquis 
Douglas  and  George  Neville,  who  were  looking  over  his 
beautiful  books.  The  Duke  accompanied  us  into  the 
dining-room  to  see  the  new  pictures,  and  he  then  told  me 
of  the  legacy  old  Cavendish  *  had  left  him — nearly 
7,OOOJ.  a  year. 

Tuesday,  March  3rd.  —  In  the  evening  I  went  in 
Kemble's  box,  where  we  found  his  wife,  to  see  '  Julius 
Caesar  ' — Kemble  playing  the  part  of  Brutus,  and  Young, 
Cassius,  admirably  well. 

Wednesday,  4th. — In  the  evening  went  to  the  Ancient 
Music.  We  found  places  near  to  Lord  and  Lady  Derby, 
and  were  not  far  from  the  box  where  the  Eegent  was, 
accompanied  by  the  Dukes  of  Cumberland  and  Cam- 
bridge, and  two  or  three  other  directors,  and  the  faithful 
Lord  Yarmouth.  He  only  spoke  to  Lady  Albemarle  and 
Mrs.  Howe. 

To  the  Countess  of  Hardwicke  from  Miss  Berry. 

North  Audley  Street,  Monday,  March  16,  1812. 

You  will  find  me  with  a  new  friend  in  your  Square,  Lady 
Castlereagh,  who  has  been  so  civil,  and  so  successful  in  curing 
me  of  the  toothache,  that  I  am  going  to  a  small  party  to  her 

*  Henry  Cavendish,  son  of  Lord  Cavendish,  cousin  of  the  Duke  of  Devon- 
shire, died  March  1810.  He  left  property  to  the  amount  of  one  million  two 
hundred  thousand  pounds.  Seven  hundred  thousand  pounds  he  bequeathed 
to  Lofld  G.  Cavendish,  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  to  the  Earl  of  Bess- 
borough,  and  other  legacies  to  the  Cavendish  family.  He  was  a  most  emi- 
nent chemist  and  natural  philosopher ;  he  was  conversant  with  every  part  of 
Sir  J.  Newton's  philosophy,  the  principles  of  which  he  applied  near  forty 
(now  ninety)  years  ago  to  an  investigation  of  the  laws  on  which  the  pheno- 
mena of  electricity  depend ;  he  ascertained,  in  1766,  the  extreme  levity  of 
inflammable  gas,  now  called  hydrogen  gas ;  he  discovered  the  composition 
of  water  by  the  union  of  two  airs ;  laid  the  foundation  of  the  modern  system 
of  chemistry,  &c.  &c.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine.  Sir  H.  Davy,  in 
pronouncing  a  high  eulogium  on  him,  said,  '  Since  the  days  of  Sir  J.  Newton 
England  has  sustained  no  scientific  loss  so  great  as  that  of  Cavendish.  .  .  . 
His  name  will  be  an  immortal  honour  to  his  house,  to  his  age,  and  to  his 
country.'— Ann.  Regis,  for  1810. 


1812]          LETTER   TO   THE   COUNTESS   OF   HARDWICKE.  495 

house  this  evening,  and  am  asked  to  all  her  suppers.  You  see 
I  am  creeping  over  to  the  Ministerial  side.  However,  to  save 
appearances  and  my  principles,  if  I  can,  I  am  going  afterwards 
to  your  favourite  Lady  Caroline  Lamb,  who  has  some  sort  of  a 
party  down  at  Whitehall,  to  he  in  the  way  of  hearing  an  early 
account  of  what  is  going  on  in  the  House  of  Peers  on  Lord 
Boringdon's  motion,  which,  by  the  way,  I  believe,  is  put  off.  I 
have  no  time  to  talk  to  you  about  this  motion.  I  was  present 
when  he  started  the  first  idea  of  it  at  dinner,  at  Devonshire 
House,  on  Monday  se'nnight,  which  people  smiled  at,  and 
nobody  replied  to.  But  however  odd  the  motion,  I  should  not 
be  at  all  surprised,  by  what  I  have  since  heard,  of  it  being  com- 
pletely a  manoeuvre  of  Lord  Wellesley  and  Canning,  and  if  it 
led  to  turning  out  Percival  and  his  immediate  adherents. 

The  author  of  the  versification  of  the  letter  is  little  Anacreon, 
not  avowedly,  but  certainly.  You  must  see  likewise  a  certain 
vision,  said  to  be  by  Lord  Byron,  as  well  as  some  lines  on  the 
Princess  Charlotte's  tears  at  the  far-famed  dinner,  and  the 
triumph  of  the  whale  in  the  *  Examiner  '  of  last  Sunday.  The 
prose  squibs  and  abuse  are  endless.  People  begin  to  look  grave 
about  the  license  taken  ;  but  it  is  not  yet,  near  as  great  as  that 
at  the  end  of  Charles  II. 's  reign  was !  .  .  . 

Thursday,  \$th. — Went  to  Lady  Castlereagh's,  where 
there  was  an  assembly  entirely  of  ladies.  There  were  only 
three  men  in  the  room  when  we  arrived.  All  the  male 
world  was  in  the  House  of  Lords  to  hear  the  motion  of 
Lord  Boringdon.*  Near  midnight  we  went  to  Melbourne 
House  to  Lady  Caroline  Lamb.  They  were  at  supper. 
Lady  Holland  with  fifteen  other  ladies  waiting  the  arrival 

*  Afterwards  created  Earl  of  Morley.  The  object  of  Lord  Boringdon's 
motion  was  to  move  an  address  to  the  Prince  Regent  beseech  ing  him  to  form 
an  efficient  administration  that  should  be  so  composed  as  to  unite  the  con- 
fidence and  good  will  of  all  classes.  He  represented  that  in  the  present 
state  of  Ireland,  no  such  confidence  could  be  enjoyed  by  any  administration 
whose  characteristic  principle  was  to  resist  a  dispassionate  consideration  of 
the  civil  disabilities,  under  which  His  Majesty's  Roman  Catholic  subjects 
there  still  laboured.  Lord  Grimstone  moved  an  amendment  which  was  in 
effect  an  expression  of  perfect  satisfaction  with  the  conduct  of  affairs  since 
the  commencement  of  the  Regency.  The  amendment  was  carried  by  a 
majority  of  93. — See  Annual  Register,  1812. 


496  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1812 

of  the  gentlemen  from  the  Houses.  An  hour  passed 
before  they  came.  All  opposition  en  masse,  and  all  the 
Canning  party,  himself  excepted,  with  a  fallen  look,  after 
their  cheval  de  bataille,  Lord  Wellesley,  had  entirely  failed 
them  at  the  hour  of  need,  not  having  chosen  to  open  his 
mouth. 

Wednesday,  2bth. — The  Princess  of  Wales  had  settled, 
on  Saturday  last,  to  come  and  see  us  this  morning  in 
town.  At  four  o'clock  we  sat  down  to  table  in  the  little 
drawing-room.  It  was  a  beautiful  day.  The  sun  shone 
out,  and  everything  appeared  very  bright  and  very  cheer- 
ful. The  Princess  seemed  much  pleased  with  the  com- 
pany and  the  luncheon,  and  fatigued  no  one,  for  at 
half-past  five  she  returned  to  Blackheath. 

Thursday,  April  2nd. — Went  to  Lady  Glenbervie's ; 
Lord  Byron  was  there,  and  I  had  a  quarter  of  an  hour's 
conversation,  which,  I  own,  gave  me  a  great  desire  to  know 
i    him  better,  and  he  seemed  willing  that  I  should  do  so. 

Thursday,  Qth. — I  had  a  great  deal  of  private  conver- 
sation with  the  Princess,  when  I  found  her  much  more 
reasonable  on  her  own  affairs,  and  much  more  capable  of 
listening  to  reason  than  usual.  She  begins  to  understand 
that  she  must  be  prudent,  and  that  prudence  alone  will  dis- 
arm her  enemies — at  least  she  has  no  other  course  to  take. 

Sunday,  12th. — I  went  to  church,  and  afterwards  took 
Lady  Cornewall  *  to  pay  a  visit  to  Catalani  in  her  hermi- 
tage at  Brompton.  It  is  a  small  house  with  a  drawing- 
room,  decorated  with  French  tapestry,  and  all  the  gilding, 
yellow,  crimson,  and  looking-glasses  that  could  be  crammed 
into  it. 

Wednesday,  \bth. — We  went  to  Kensington  ;  dinner  of 
twenty-two  people ;  Canning  and  several  of  his  friends 
and  his  set.  In  the  evening  there  was  an  assembly,  many 
of  whom,  and  we  amongst  others,  were  invited  to  supper. 
The  Princess  was  melancholy ;  I  never  saw  her  so  beat 
*  Wife  of  Sir  George  Cornewall. 


1812]  LORD   BYRON.  497 

down.  She  made  me  sit  by  her  side  for  a  long  time ; 
twice  she  tried  to  speak  and  could  not,  her  voice  always 
failing  her.  It  was  the  recollections  that  were  revived 
by  the  company,  and  not  the  public  affairs,  I  am  quite 
sure,  by  the  answers  she  made  upon  what  I  said  of  the 
politics  of  the  day. 

Saturday,  May  2nd. — Left  '  The  Two  Martius '  at  Sir 
G.  Beaumont's. 

Sunday,  3rd. — Dined  at  Mr.  Montague's  with  Lord 
and  Lady  Hardwicke,  and  Lady  Elizabeth,  Lord  and  Lady 
Elliott,  &c.,  and  Mr.  Peel.  The  latter,  he  who  spoke  so 
well  in  the  House  of  Commons,  has  a  very  agreeable 
countenance. 

Thursday,  7th. — At  the  end  of  the  evening  I  had  half 
an  hour's  conversation  with  Lord  Byron,  principally  on 
the  subject  of  the  Scotch  Eeview,  with  which  he  is  very 
much  pleased.  He  is  a  singular  man,  and  pleasant  to  me, 
but  I  very  much  fear  that  his  head  begins  to  be  turned 
by  all  the  adoration  of  the  world,  especially  the  women.  _j 

Friday,  8th. — Had  a  long  conversation  with  Sir  G. 
Beaumont  in  the  morning  upon  poetry,  &c.  With  all  his 
natural  taste,  he  is  strangely  misled  by  the  dogmas  of 
Coleridge,  Wordsworth,  &c. 

Monday,  ~Llth. — At  dinner  with  my  father  and  sister 
I  received  from  Mrs.  Locke  a  card  which  had  been  sent  to 
her,  and  upon  which  was  the  wonderful  news  of  the  assas- 
sination of  Mr.  Percival  in  the  lobby  of  the  House  of 
Commons.  I  began  by  doubting  it,  but  a  moment  after 
our  servant  said  he  had  heard  it  from  Mr.  Villiers's  *  valet. 
Directly  after  dinner  Agnes  went  to  Lady  Donegal],  and 
I  wrote  to  ask  Mrs.  Villiers  about  it.  The  Villiers'  had  a 
large  dinner,  and  I  saw  several  persons  arrive  who  ought 
to  be  well-informed.  I  received  from  them  complete 
confirmation  of  the  report.  We  went  early  to  Mrs.  G. 

*  Hon.  J.  C.  Villiers,  afterwards  Earl  of  Clarendon,  lived  in  North  Audlej 
Street. 

VOL.  II.  K  K 


498  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1812 

Lamb's,  where  there  was  young  Macdonald,  Mr.  Morrice, 
and  two  or  three  other  people  who  had  been  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  afterwards  at  the  examination 
of  the  assassin,*  who  had  not  attempted  to  escape.  Later 
in  the  evening  Lords  Lauderdale  and  Grey  arrived,  who 
had  both  been  with  the  Address  of  the  Lords  to  Carlton 
House.  This  deed,  though  horrible,  is  unfortunately  one 
of  all  countries,  and  is  not  without  its  parallel  even  here. 
But  that  which  is  not  so  is  the  manner  in  which  the 
populace  took  it,  who  surrounded  the  Houses  of  Parlia- 
ment. They  appeared  so  very  little  shocked. 

Tuesday 1 12th. — After  breakfast  I  received  a  note  from 
Lady  Charlotte,  asking  me  ah1  I  had  heard  and  thought 
of  the  assassination. 

Thursday,  14<A. — Drove  as  far  as  Spring  Gardens, 
having  passed  through  the  crowd  of  carriages  from  the 
two  Houses,  who  were  taking  their  Address  to  the  Eegent 
on  the  subject  of  the  assassination  of  Percival. 

Saturday,  16$. — Went  to  Mrs.  Gordon,  where  there 
was  an  excellent  assembly,  and  delightful  music.  The 
four  sisters,  f  Naldi  Tremazzani  and  two  Portuguese. 

Thursday,  21st — I  heard  from  Lady  Grey  £  herself  that 
the  Commons  were  up,  and  that  they  had  left  the  Ministry 
in  a  minority  of  four  upon  the  question  of  their  own  inca- 
pability. In  all  my  life  I  had  never  been  more  astonished. 

*  Bellingham. 

t  The  five  sisters,  Mrs.  Peploe,  Viscountess  Hereford,  Mrs.  Frankland 
Lewis,  Lady  Duff  Gordon,  and  Miss  Cornewall,  were  all  celebrated  for  their 
musical  talents. 

J  Mr.  Stuart  Wortley  submitted  to  the  House  a  motion  for  an  Address  to 
the  Prince  Regent,  praying  his  Royal  Highness  to  take  such  measures  as 
might  be  best  calculated  to  form  an  efficient  administration.  The  motion 
was  in  fact  for  a  vote  of  want  of  confidence  in  the  administration  about  to 
be  formed.  The  previous  question  was  moved  and  lost  by  four,  and  Mr. 
Wortley's  motion  was  carried.  Mr.  Wortley  then  moved '  the  Address  should 
be  carried  by  the  whole  House.'  Mr.  Yorke  moved  the  previous  question. 
Mr.  Wortley  then  withdrew  his  motion,  and  moved  that  the  Address  should 
be  presented  by  members  of  the  Privy  Council  sitting  in  Parliament.  A  divi- 
sion ensued.  Ministers  had  a  majority  of  two. — Hansard. 


1812]  THE   PRINCESS  CHARLOTTE.  499 

Wednesday,  2Tth. — I  got  ready  to  go  to  Blackheath 
with  Lady  Charlotte  Campbell.  We  found  the  Princess 
sitting  under  an  elm  tree  near  the  house;  there  we 
remained  talking  nearly  an  hour.  At  dinner  Sir  James 
Mackintosh,  Sir  H.  and  Lady  Davy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  Locke, 
young  Burney,  and  Campbell  the  poet.*  The  first  and  the 
last  I  saw  for  the  first  time.  I  am  charmed  with  the 
first,  and  not  at  all  with  the  latter  ;  he  appears  to  think 
too  much  of  himself.  Sir  J.  M.  conversed  very  well 
upon  literature,  upon  his  travels,  &c.,  has  a  quiet  manner, 
and  without  the  least  affectation. 

Thursday,  28th. — In  the  evening  the  Princess  read  to 
us  '  Amelie  de  Mansfeldt.'f 

Friday,  29*A. — The  Princess  Charlotte  and  Lady  de 
Clifford  arrived  just  as  we  finished  our  drive.  We  all 
sat  down  to  dinner  without  making  any  toilette.  The 
young  Princess  was  very  gay,  very  talkative,  in  very 
good  humour,  and  very  — ,  all  one  could  expect  from  a 
young  girl  of  sixteen,  very  quick  and  very  lively,  and 
very  ill  brought  up.  After  dinner  she  played  all  sorts  of 
things  upon  the  piano;.  Her  musical  memory  is  astonish- 
ing. As  to  her  looksr  she  has  grown  and  improved  since 
I  saw  her  in  November ;  with  rouge  she  would  be  really 
striking,  but  she  does  not  walk  any  better,  and  has  not 
dignified  manners.  She  left  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock. 
The  Princess  then  continued  reading  '  Amelie  de  Mans- 
feldt.' 

Tuesday,  June  2nd. — Called  on  Lady  Georgiana  and 
then  on  Lady  Harriet    I  saw  quite  well  from  my  conver- 

*  Thomas  Campbell,  the  poet,  born  at  Glasgow  in  1767 ;  author  of '  Lore 
and  Madness,'  '  Caroline,'  '  Pleasures  of  Hope,'  which  latter  work  placed 
him  at  once  in  the  front  rank  with  the  poets  of  the  age,  '  Lochiel's  Warn- 
ing,' f  Gertrude  of  Wyoming,'  and  many  other  poems.  In  1802  he  became 
secretary  to  Lord  Minto.  In  1806  the  King  granted  him  a  pension  of  200/. 
a  year.  He  continued  his  literary  labours  till  towards  the  close  of  his  life. 
Died  at  Boulogne  1844. 

t  By  Madame  de  Cottin. 

BX* 


500  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [is  12 

sation  with  the  latter  how  the  political  negotiation  was 
going  on. 

Wednesday,  3rd. — Went  to  Lady  Georgiana ;  met  Lady 
Harriet  and  had  a  conversation  with  her  in  another  room 
upon  the  politics  of  the  day  or  rather  the  morning,  because 
it  changes  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

Thursday,  ktli. — We  went  at  three  o'clock  to  Sir  H. 
Davy's  house  to  meet  the  Princess  of  Wales,  who  was 
coming  to  take  herself,  and  to  see  taken,  the  Imperial  Gas. 
I  had  never  before  seen  its  wonderful  effect,  of  which  I 
had  formed  but  a  very  imperfect  idea.  Davy  had  taken 
it,  and  Sydney  Smith,  Sir  J.  Mackintosh  and  Lady  C.  Camp- 
bell, and  the  Princess.  The  dose  administered  to  the 
latter  was  so  small  that  the  effects  were  only  visible  in  the 
eyes  and  upon  the  complexion,  but  upon  the  others  it 
was  an  excitement,  a  vivacity,  in  fact  a  wonderful  intoxi- 
cation of  three  or  more  minutes,  astonishing !  and  so 
delightful  to  themselves  that  they  wished  to  retake  it, 
and  could  not  and  would  not  desist  from  imbibing  the 
dose  which  was  destined  for  them,  so  long  as  the  slightest 
breath  remained. 

Friday,  V2>th. — Went  in  the  morning  to  Lady  Harriet, 
where  I  found  Lord  Granville.  We  were  all  three  agreed 
upon  the  conduct  of  the  Ministers,  or  rather  the  oppo- 
sition. Went  to  Lady  Spencer's,  A  large  party  (for  her). 
Lords  Camden,  Grey,  and  every  one  on  the  opposition 
side  laughing  with  very  bad  grace. 

Sunday,  \kih. — At  eleven  o'clock  we  took  Sir  J.  Mackin- 
tosh with  us  to  Kensington  to  hear  Sydney  Smith  preach 
in  the  Palace  Chapel.  The  Princess  had  begged  of  us  to 
come  to  her  in  her  gallery  ;  she  was  delighted  to  see  Sir 
J.  Mackintosh,  whom  she  did  not  expect.  After  church 
Sydney  Smith  came  in  to  luncheon,  and  then  we  went  to 
see  the  great  apartment,  one  part  only  being  open  and 
many  of  the  pictures  displaced.  We  all  took  leave  of  the 
Princess ;  Sydney  Smith  went  to  Holland  House,  Sir  J. 


1812]  G.   COLMAN   THE   YOUNGER.  501 

Mackintosh  walked  with  us  across  the  garden.  At  half- 
past  ten  we  went  to  Miss  Johnstone's,*  where  there  was 
good  company  and  music.  I  found  Mrs.  Siddons  there, 
who  repeated  to  me  in  a  corner  alone  the  verses  that  she 
was  going  to  recite  on  her  farewell  to  the  public ;  they 
are  by  her  nephew  Twiss,-)-  and  I  thought  them  in  good 
taste. 

Monday,  15th. — Called  by  appointment  on  Sir  G.  Beau- 
mont to  meet  Colman,  J  and  read  with  him  '  The  Two 
Martius.'  As  Sir  George  had  told  him  that  it  was  written 
by  a  woman,  I  owned  myself  to  be  that  woman,  exacting 
at  the  same  time  the  secrecy  which  every  manager  of 
a  theatre  grants  and  keeps  faithfully.  I  read  the  piece  : 
he  stopped  me  each  time  where  he  thought  something 
piquant  could  be  added,  and  all  his  observations  were 
like  a  master  of  the  art.  He  took  away  the  little  piece, 
with  full  permission  to  make  any  alterations  he  liked  :  he 
proposed  returning  it  to  me  with  his  ideas  upon  the 
alterations,  so  that  I  could  make  them  myself.  I  went 
with  Agnes  to  Lady  Hertford  :  the  crowd  was  as  usual. 
The  Regent  and  three  or  four  of  his  brothers,  only  one 
or  two  of  the  Opposition  ;  the  greater  part  were  not  even 
asked. 

Wednesday,  24#A. — I  went  to  Devonshire  House  to  see 
the  library  of  the  late  Dr.  Dampier,  Bishop  of  Ely,  which 
the  Duke  had  just  bought  of  his  heirs  for  10,000/.  The 
books  are  still  on  the  floor  in  one  of  the  drawing  rooms. 
These  books,  with  those  which  he  is  now  buying  at  the 


*  Afterwards  Countess  St.  Antonio  and  Duchesse  Cannizzaro. 

t  Horace  Twiss,  Esq. 

J  George  Colman  the  younger,  born  1762.  He  was  educated  for  the 
bar,  but  his  father's  affairs  demanded  his  assistance,  and  he  undertook  the 
charge  of  the  Haymarket  Theatre  :  this  brought  him  afterwards  into  serious 
difficulties.  He  lived  for  many  years  within  the  '  rules  '  of  the  Fleet,  from 
which  he  was  rescued  through  the  interest  of  the  Duke  of  York,  who  got 
for  him  the  office  of  Licenser  of  Plays.  He  was  the  author  of  many  plays, 
poems,  &c. 


502  MISS  BEKKY'S  JOURNAL.  [1312 

Duke  of  Eoxburgh's  sale,  will   make  one  of  the  best 
libraries  in  the  country. 

Friday,  2Qth. — We  dined  with  the  Princess  at  Ken- 
sington.     The  company :   Lady   C.   Lindsay,    Lady  C. 
Campbell,   Mr.  Lewis,   Sir  H.  and  Lady  Davy,   Sir  J. 
Mackintosh,  Sir  H.  Englefield,  Mrs.*  and  Miss  Pole,  Lord 
Glenbervie  and  Campbell  the  poet,  who  was  to  read  his 
first  discourse  upon  Poetry,  which  he  had  delivered  at  the 
Institution ;  he  did  so  during  the  evening  with  very  good 
effect.     At  dinner,   Lewis  gave  out  a  thousand  betises 
upon  the  subject  of  poetry,  pretending  that  he  found 
Homer  and  Virgil  wearisome.     Campbell's  discourse  ap- 
peared to  be  made  expressly  to  punish  him  and  to  expose 
the  inaptitude  of  these  heterodox  opinions.     Poor  Lewis 
was  in  a  very  bad  humour,  and  did  not  know  where  to 
hide  his  head  during  the  reading,  so  he  pretended  to  be 
sleeping. 

Monday,  29^.  —  I  went  to  the  theatre  in  Lady 
Spencer's  box,  to  see  Mrs.  Siddons  take  leave  of  the 
public. 

Thursday,  July  9th. — We  went  to  Lady  Buckingham- 
shire, to  what  she  called  a  Venetian  dejeuner,  Heaven 
knows  why !  There  were  a  great  many  masks,  several 
hired,  I  think,  from  small  theatres,  because  there  were 
few,  if  any,  masked  as  they  ought  to  be.  There  were 
tents,  lotteries,  and  fortune-tellers  in  the  garden.  In  fact 
it  was  Bedlam  let  loose,  but  very  amusing  and  very  pretty 
—a  hot  summer's  day. 

Monday,  ~L3th. — Walked  at  Chiswick  with  the  Duke, 
from  whom  I  obtained  in  part  the  papers  f  I  wished  for. 
Wednesday,  15th. — At  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  we 
went  to  Lady  Hardwicke's  for  their  play  ;  I  went  to  the 
green-room  to  assist  in  rouging,  &c.  The  theatre  was 
brilliant,  really  the  prettiest  private  theatre  I  have  ever 

*  Hon.  Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole,  afterwards  Lady  Maryborough, 
t  Lady  Russell's  letters. 


1812]  VISIT   THE    PRINCESS   OF   WALES.  503 

seen.  The  audience  numerous  and  very  well  placed. 
The  Eegent  and  the  Princes,  who  were  expected,  did  not 
come,  except  the  Duke  of  Gloucester ;  the  Regent  sent  to 
say  that  he  hoped  to  be  there  by  ten  o'clock,  but  not  to 
expect  him. 

Friday,  17  th. — In  the  evening  at  Lady  Hardwicke's, 
I  to  be  audience,  Agnes  to  be  behind  the  scenes.  There 
was  a  great  deal  of  company.  The  Princess  arrived 
before  ten  o'clock ;  also  the  Princess  Sophia  and  the 
Duke  of  Gloucester.  At  half-past  one  o'clock  we  went 
down  to  a  superb  supper  ;  140  people  supped  there. 

Saturday,  18^/i — It  was  a  beautiful  day.  The  Princess 
had  desired  me  to  be  at  Kensington  by  two  o'clock. 
Lady  Hardwicke  and  her  two  daughters  came  on  a  visit 
of  etiquette  to  the  Princess,  who  received  them  in  her 
dressing  gown.  She  afterwards  talked  much  and  for  a 
long  time  on  the  subject  of  her  position  vis-a-vis  the 
Princess  Charlotte,  and  of  the  ungracious  reception  she 
met  with  on  her  visit  to  her  daughter  at  Windsor,  this 
day  week,  the  llth  of  the  month,  and  of  the  visit  she  had 
received  the  day  before  yesterday  from  Lord  Liverpool, 
and  of  all  that  passed  ;  but  as  I  intend  to  put  it  all  to 
paper,  it  is  useless  to  write  more  here.* 

Monday,  2Qth. — The  Princess  of  Wales  came  at  two 
o'clock  to  take  me  to  Blackheath.  We  found  young 
Burney  to  meet  us.  Before  dinner,  I  had  a  long  tete- 
a-tete  conversation  with  the  Princess  about  her  situation, 
and  what  she  will  do,  who  she  will  choose  for  the  new 
lady  that  she  is  going  to  take  instead  of  Mrs.  Lisle,  who 
has  resigned  in  a  manner  hardly  fitting,  as  she  has  been 
only  six  weeks  in  service.  At  nine  o'clock  we  set  out, 
the  Princess,  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay,  Lord  Henry  [Fitz- 
gerald], and  I,  in  her  landau,  and  returned  to  London, 
passing  by  the  way  of  Lady  C.  Campbell's,  which  in- 

*  This  paper  is  not  to  be  found,  and  was  perhaps  never  written. 


504  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1812 

creased  the  distance  at  least  three  or  four  miles.  The 
lightning  which  began  near  Lewisham  threatened  a  storm, 
and  put  me  into  a  state  of  mind  very  little  fit  to  amuse 
a  Princess ;  but  she  knew  my  weakness,  and  without 
sharing  it,  showed  me  all  possible  attention  to  relieve  my 
ridiculous  fears. 

Thursday,  23rd. — LadyHardwicke  and  Elizabeth  called, 
and  we  thought  of  many  arrangements  for  the  evening. 
I  was  tormented  with  a  hundred  notes  to  ask  Lady 
Hardwicke  for  places.  I  showed  them  all  to  her,  and 
always  obtained  what  they  asked.  A  quarter  before  ten 
o'clock  we  went  to  St.  James's  Square  with  Mrs.  Tighe. 
She,  I,  and  Mr.  Ward  were  placed  on  the  third  form 
from  the  stage.  Agnes  behind  the  scenes.  At  ten  o'clock 
the  Eegent  came  with  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  the  Duke 
of  Cumberland,  the  Due  de  Berri,  and  the  Due  de  Bour- 
bon, with  whom  he  had  dined  at  the  Prince  de  Conde's 
at  Wimbledon.  The  Eegent  gave  his  arm  to  Lady 
Hardwicke,  and  sat  in  the  first  row  beside  her  and  his 
two  brothers  at  his  side.  The  two  French  Princes  in  the 
same  row,  on  the  other  side  of  the  middle.  The  Sultana 
was  sitting  behind,  and  would  not  come  forward.  The 
Eegent,  as  well  as  his  two  brothers,  was  very  attentive  to 
the  performance.  The  actors  were  so  frightened  at  their 
august  audience  that  they  never  acted  so  badly,  and  had 
recourse  more  than  once  to  the  prompter,  which  never 
happened  to  them  before,  and  they  were  in  despair  behind 
the  scenes — so  my  sister  said  ;  but  nobody  discovered  it 
but  those  who  had  seen  their  more  perfect  acting  on  last 
Friday.  At  half  past  one  o'clock  the  Eegent  and  his 
brothers  went  to  supper,  foUowed  by  all  the  company, 
except  the  French  Princes,  who  went  away.  Lady 
Hardwicke  sat  by  the  side  of  the  Eegent,  then  the  Duke 
of  Clarence  next,  then  Lady  Hertford,  the  Duke  of 
Cumberland,  and  Lady  Conyngham,  &c.  &c.  The  propor- 
tion of  elderly  ladies  at  the  table  was  too  large.  At  the 


1812]  THE    BATTLE    OF   SALAMANCA.  505 

end  of  the  same  table,  by  the  side  of  Lord  Hardwicke, 
sat  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  and  Lord  Erskine.  The  Prince 
spoke  to  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  but  made  no  sign  of  re- 
cognition to  Lord  Erskine. 

Tunbridge  Wells. — Wednesday,  August  bth. — I  was  at 
the  hotel  dining  with  Lady  Milbanke,  her  daughter,  Mrs.  -7 
Hervey,  and  Mrs.  and  Miss  Chaloner.  Lady  Milbanke's 
daughter  *  appears  to  have  a  great  deal  of  mind,  and  she 
is  said  to  have  a  good  deal  of  information,  and  is  not  at 
all  affected. 

Monday,  10th. — I  walked  for  nearly  an  hour  with 
Miss  Mercerf  upon  the  Common,  where  we  had  a  long  con- 
versation about  the  Princess  Charlotte.  She  told  me  the 
manner  in  which  the  Prince  conducted  himself  towards 
her,  and  upon  the  subject  of  her  intimacy  with  Princess 
Charlotte.  She  has  not  put  her  foot  in  the  Princess's 
house  since  Easter. 

Monday,  17th. — The  news  of  Lord  Wellington's  splen- 
did victory,^  which  has  been  so  much  talked  of,  has  at 
length  arrived,  Lord  Buckingham  §  having  received  the 
despatches  during  the  night,  had  sent  one  to  each  library 
on  the  Pantiles,  where  everybody  saw  them,  and  were 
talking  of  the  news.  In  the  evening  there  was  a  general 
illumination.  The  Pantiles  were  decorated  very  prettily 
with  branches  of  oak  mixed  with  flowers  and  laurels. 
I  had  often  heard  of  the  beauty  of  an  illumination  at 
Tunbridge,  but  it  very  much  surpassed  my  expectations. 
The  effect  of  Mount  Sion  from  the  Common,  with  its 
rows  of  houses  raised  one  above  another,  and  all  lighted, 
would  have  been  beautiful,  but  for  the  bonfires  which  they 
are  in  the  habit  here  of  making,  by  lighting  furze  upon 


*  Afterwards  married  to  Lord  Byron. 

t  Daughter  of  Lord  Keith,  now  Comtesse  de  Flahault  Baroness  Nairne. 
I  Salamanca. 

§  Marquess  of  Buckingham,  born  1753,  twice  Viceroy  of  Ireland,  in  1782 
and  1787.     Died  1813. 


506  MISS  BEKEY'S  JOUBNAL.  [1812 

the  Common  in  various  places.  It  produces  a  grand 
effect  of  light,  but  the  smoke  prevented  our  seeing  the 
illumination  of  the  village.  The  evening  was  perfect  for 
such  a  fete — quite  fine,  without  a  breath  of  wind. 

Monday,  24^7*. — I  went  to  Lady  Wellington's,*  the 
new  Marchioness.  She  appeared  to  have  suffered  a  great 
deal  from  the  uncertainty  which  everybody  had  been  in, 
for  more  than  a  fortnight,  and  she  spoke  with  an  enthu- 
siasm and  a  worship  of  her  hero  which  was  truly  edifying. 
She  goes  to  London  to-day  to  be  present  when  the  Te 
Deum  is  sung  in  the  Portuguese  ambassador's  chapel  in 
honour  of  the  victory. 

Worthing. — Friday,  September  &h. — Drove  to  Broad- 
water,  a  village  about  a  mile  distant  from  Worthing. 
The  church  is  very  old,  has  belonged  to  an  abbey,  and 
there  is  also  a  fine  monument  erected  to  the  family 
De  la  Warr,  who  formerly  possessed  a  great  deal  of  the 
country  round.  It  is  spoiled  by  white-wash,  but  deserves 
to  be  restored. 

Sunday, ^th. — Drove  with  Lady  Dudley f  in  her  carriage 
and  six  horses  as  far  as  Shankbury.  It  is  the  highest  of 
the  South  Downs,  from  which  there  is  a  splendid  view  on 
all  sides.  The  extraordinary  clearness  of  the  day  per- 
mitted us  to  see  it  in  a  manner  that  does  not  happen 
three  times  a  year.  We  returned  through  the  village  of 
Sompting,  the  prettiest  I  have  seen  in  these  suburbs, 
situated  upon  the  rising  Downs,  shaded  by  fine  trees,  and 
having  a  view  of  the  sea  across  pretty  meadows,  termi- 
nating each  side  by  woods. 

Thursday,  10^. — Went  to  Tunbridge  Wells. 

Saturday,  October  3rd. — I  set  out  to  see  Knowle  with 
Mrs.  Pole  in  her  landau  and  four  horses,  and  with  Lady 

*  Hon.  Catherine  Pakenham,  third  daughter  of  Edward  Michael  Lord 
Longford,  married  1806 ;  died  1831. 

t  Julia  Lady  Dudley,  second  daughter  of  Godfrey  Boseville,  Esq.,  of 
Gussthwaithe,  Yorkshire. 


1812]  THE   FRENCH   AT  MOSCOW.  507 

Burgh ersh  *  and  Charles  Bagot.f  The  carriage  took  us 
to  the  door  of  the  house.  The  outside  is  very  beautiful, 
like  Oxford  Colleges ;  the  first  court  much  resembles 
Oriel  College.  All  is  well  kept.  The  inside  does  not 
correspond  with  the  outside,  or  rather  does  so,  too  much, 
because  the  inside  too  much  resembles  the  interior  of  a 
college  for  a  nobleman's  house.  Long  narrow  galleries, 
badly  lighted,  and  small  rooms  not  en  suite.  There  is  not 
a  single  room  in  which  one  felt  it  would  be  possible  to 
establish  oneself  comfortably.  The  apartment  which  the 
family  occupy,  and  which  all  the  preceding  families  have 
occupied,  is  au  rez  de  chaussee,  and  could  perhaps  be  snug, 
but  there  is  no  comfortable  furniture,  nor  even  furniture 
enough.  There  are  some  very  good  portraits  by  Vandyke, 
by  Sir  A.  More,  and  Jansen ;  but  many  to  which  they 
have  given  any  names  they  pleased.  There  are  several 
of  Sir  Joshua  Eeynolds'  in  the  most  perfect  preservation. 
Amongst  others,  '  The  Fortune-Teller '  and  *  The  Counts 
Ugolino.'  I  had  a  higher  idea  of  the  latter  than  I  have 
upon  a  second  view.  The  figures  do  not  group  well. 
Ugolino  and  the  second  son  are  on  one  side  the  picture, 
and  the  three  other  sons  on  the  other  side.  The  painter 
has  tried  to  unite  them  by  a  kind  of  wall  or  enclosure  of 
stone,  which,  to  my  mind,  has  not  succeeded ;  and  the 
head  of  the  old  man  is  the  head  of  the  old  beggar,  of 
whom  it  is,  in  fact,  the  portrait,  but  it  is  a  portrait  and 
nothing  else. 

Friday,  $th. — Walked  on  the  Pantiles,  read  the  news- 
papers, which  contained  the  extraordinary  letter  of  Lord 
Cathcart  announcing  the  great  defeat  of  the  French,  and 
their  nineteenth  bulletin  dated  Moscow  ! ! !  J  One  might 

*  Daughter  to  Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole. 

t  Hon.  Sir  Charles  Bagot,  married,  1806,  to  Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole's 
daughter. 

f  The  battle  of  Borodino  (called  by  the  French  Moskwa)  was  claimed  as 
a  victory  by  both  sides.  Seven  days  after  the  Russians  were  singing  Te 
Deum  for  their  victory,  the  French  entered  Moscow.— Ann.  Reg. 


508  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1812 

be  almost  amused  at  the  Ministers  being  credulous  enough 
to  believe  all,  and  then  to  let  all  their  credulity  appear. 
Their  friends  thought  to  make  their  excuse  by  saying 
that  the  French  bulletin  was  false  ! ! 
_  Friday,  23rd. — Returned  to  North  Audley  Street. 

Tuesday,  November  10th. — I  went  to  Lady  Crewe's, 
who  gave  a  sort  of  luncheon  dinner,  to  which  we  were 
invited,  to  meet  Dr.  Burney  and  his  sister  Madame 
D'Arblay.*  They  were  neither  of  them  there.  When  we 
entered  a  dozen  ladies  were  sitting  around  the  fire  with 
Miladi.  Lawrence,  the  painter,  the  only  gentleman.  Dr. 
Burney  was  ill  and  could  not  come,  but  at  last  Madame 
D'Arblay  arrived.  I  was  very  glad  to  see  her  again.  She 
is  wonderfully  improved  in  good  looks  in  ten  years, 
which  have  usually  a  very  different  effect  at  an  age  when 
people  begin  to  fall  off.  Her  face  has  acquired  expression 
and  a  charm  which  it  never  had  before.  She  has  gained 
an  embonpoint  very  advantageous  to  her  face.  We  did 
not  talk  much  about  France  ;  but  with  her  intelligence 
there  was  a  great  deal  she  could  tell,  and  much  she  could 
not,  having  a  husband  and  a  French  establishment,  to 
L  which  she  was  to  return  after  the  winter. 

Monday,  %3rd. — In  the  evening  we  went  to  the  play 
at  Drury  Lane  in  Mr.  Coutts's  box.  The  new  theatre 
has  the  finest  form  that  I  have  seen  here,  or  perhaps 
elsewhere.  The  proscenium  is  superb,  though  wide,  for 
the  arrangement  of  the  scenes,  and  the  exits  and  entries 
necessary  on  the  English  stage.  The  ornaments  in 
front  of  the  boxes  are  well  devised — gay  and  brilliant 
without  being  gaudy. 

Thursday,  2Sth. — The  Princess's  carriage  came  with 
Lady  C.  Lindsay.  We  set  out  on  a  thorough  November 
day,  and  at  four  o'clock  we  found  the  Princess  with  the 
luncheon  still  before  her.  We  stayed  talking  with  her  till 

*  Miss  Burney,  authoress  of '  Evelina/  '  Cecilia/  &c. 


1812]  LETTER   FROM    HON.    R.    K.    CRAVEN.  509 

seven  o'clock,  when  she  dismissed  us  to  dress.  I  was 
ready  in  ten  minutes,  yet  she  was  already  at  table  when 
I  went  down.  The  evening  passed  as  usual,  talking  till 
nearly  one  o'clock. 

Friday,  December  4th. — I  went  again  with  the  Hard- 
wickes  to  see  the  gas  lights.  The  proprietor's  house  was 
all  lighted  with  it  for  us  to  see.  After  having  well  studied 
the  effects,  we  went  down  in  the  ceDar,  or  rather  the 
kitchen,  of  the  house  to  examine  the  furnaces,  &c.  &c. 

Sunday,  \%th. — I  have  had  a  long  visit  from  the  Duke 
of  Devonshire.  I  talked  to  him  about  his  papers,  and 
showed  him  the  arrangement  that  I  have  made  of  those 
which  are  curious.  He  was  so  pleased,  and  so  well 
understood  the  assistance  that  I  could  be  of  to  him,  whilst 
amusing  myself  in  making  the  researches  that  I  wish  for 
now,  that  he  has  promised  to  entrust  to  me  a  quantity 
of  letters  of  last  century  that  have  not  been  arranged. 

Tuesday,  15iA. — Went  to  Wimpole. 

These  letters,  received  during  the  year  1812,  being  a 
narrative  of  the  tour  to  the  East  by  Mr.  Gell  and  Mr. 
Craven,  have  been  placed  in  order  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  in  preference  to  placing  them  according  to  the 
dates. 

Eleusis,  Atticshire,  Thursday,  Feb.  27,  1812. 

MY  DEAR  FRIENDS, — You  will  be  quite  mistaken  if  you  faacy 
that  the  pleasure  of  dating  a  letter  from  Vaghi  Colli,  Ameni 
Prati,  is  my  chief  inducement  for  writing,  a  very  rainy  day 
you  will  allow  to  be  a  much  better  occasion,  but  the  best  of  all 
is  that  I  have  meant  to  do  so  for  this  long  time  past,  and  now 
that  I  see  no  immediate  possibility  of  dispatching  my  per- 
formance' to  England,  I  can  no  longer  refrain,  and  so  I  shall 
begin  with  informing  you  that  the  whole  mission  is  at  a  dead 
standstill.  We  are  at  present  at  Athens  waiting  for  our  firman, 
which  we  expected  to  find  there,  and  without  which  there  is  no 
balm  in  Gilead,  or  digging  at  Samos,  Ephesus,  Sardis,  or  poking 


510  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1312 

for  spangles  in  the  Pactolus.  We  thought  at  first  of  going  to 
Smyrna,  and  waiting  for  it  there,  but  there  are  robbers  at 
Sunium  and  French  privateers  throughout  the  Archipelago ;  so 
we  have  sent  the  vessel  we  had  hired  to  know  from  the  Smyrna 
consul  what  we  are  to  do,  and  are  now  waiting  its  return  in 
trembling  expectation ;  and  in  the  mean  time  are  come  to 
Elucidate  the  mysteries  of  Ceres.  I  wish  I  could  give  you  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  our  present  apartment  and  also  sketches  of 
our  different  positions.  Grell  is  sitting  on  the  floor  making  a 
map  of  this  place,  and  fighting  the  splashing  of  the  rain  that 
beats  in  upon  his  paper  through  the  only  window  we  can  suffer 
to  have  open.  I  am  sitting  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fire,  on 
my  own  bed,  my  table  consisting  of  a  pair  of  blue  trowsers 
bundled  up  into  an  inclined  plane,  that  I  may  catch  the  few 
rays  of  light  that  are  to  be  had,  and  at  the  same  time  the  many 
fleas  which  appear  inclined  to  read  this  letter.  At  my  feet  sits, 
or  rather  lies,  Mr.  Bedford,  in  one  of  those  painful  attitudes 
that  make  one  feel  the  cruel  inconvenience  of  one's  own  legs. 
He  is  mending  the  fractures  of  broken  columns,  architraves, 
which  are  scattered  in  all  directions  about  this  village,  by 
drawing  them  in  a  perfect  state,  such  as  you  will  see  them  in 
when  published  by  the  Society  of  Dilettanti.  Then  our  other 
artist,  Mr.  Gandy,  is  in  the  distance,  trying  in  vain  to  make  a 
lai-ge  writing  desk  lie  flat  and  steady  on  the  top  of  a  small 
round  trunk.  The  perspective  is  filled  up  by  avenues  of  pots 
and  pans,  garlands  of  onions,  and  draperies  of  dusty  cobwebs. 
The  Albanian  peasant  to  whom  the  mansion  belongs  occa- 
sionally comes  in  to  see  what  he  can  steal,  under  pretence  of 
making  up  the  fire,  in  doing  which  he  generally  involves  us  in 
a  cloud  of  smoke  and  dust  for  some  minutes ;  but  think  not  it 
was  always  thus,  for  till  this  day  the  weather  was  so  fine,  that  I 
shaved  every  morning  on  the  flat  roof  of  our  neighbour's  house, 
where  we  also  had  our  breakfast ;  and  we  found  it  so  warm  in 
our  perambulations,  that  a  sudden  thought  struck  us,  and  we 
spontaneously  left  off  cravats,  and  I  have  had  some  notion  of 
dismissing  other  cumbersome  articles  of  dress.  Anacharsis  will 
have  it  that  this  place  is  very  pretty :  I  maintain  it  is  only 
agreeable  and  cheerful,  and  gives  one  perfectly  the  idea  of 
Proserpine  gathering  anemones,  the  beauty  and  quantity  of 
which  is  to  this  present  time  something  quite  astonishing. 


1812]  LETTER   FROM    HON.    R.    K.    CRAVEN.  511 

I  conclude  that  you  are  all  in  London,  and  if  so,  Sir  Harry 
or  Lady  Charlotte  have  probably  told  you  all  our  adventures 
previous  to  our  arrival  at  Athens — such  as  the  festivities  of 
Zante,  our  risks  and  perils  in  a  gunboat,  our  shipwreck  on  a 
desolate  island,  our  being  shot  at  by  an  Etolian  savage,  our 
bathing  at  Patras,  our  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Corinth,  and  finally, 
our  eating  pancakes  for  breakfast.  We  are  the  only  Englishmen 
just  now  in  the  town  of  Minerva,  but  there  are  four  Northern 
artists,  that  is  Germen,  as  Gell  calls  them,  two  of  which  call 
themselves  Barons.  Us  mangent  un  coffre  et  rotent  autour  de 
la  table  with  great  effect,  especially  in  Italian,  where  molto 

i^Pi  C\  r^P'YtP 

j  jj    and  molto   ,         stand  always  for  much  skin  and  pain ; 

but  they  are  very  unassuming  urbane  persons  in  other  re- 
spects. We  have  besides  Mr.  Fauval,  the  French  Consul, 
who  is  the  original  c'est  moi  qui  Vai  decouvert,  and  conse- 
quently very  entertaining.  The  country  about  Athens  is  by  no 
means  so  beautiful  as  most  of  the  other  parts  of  Greece  which 
I  have  yet  seen,  and  the  present  town  is,  moreover,  placed  on 
the  wrong  side  of  the  citadel,  but  it  is  worth  coming  all  the 
way  from  England  to  see  the  temple  of  Theseus  only.  In  point 
of  landscape,  nothing  can  exceed  Zante  in  all  its  parts,  which  is 
an  eternal  garden,  but  will  soon  be  spoilt  by  the  English — I 
mean  as  a  residence.  You  have  both  been  enough  abroad  to 
know  what  nuisances  one's  countrymen  are  unless  they  are  as 
agreeable  as  one's  own  self,  which  never  happens ;  which  re- 
minds me  of  what  rascals  the  Greeks  are.  Oh  !  you  can 
imagine  nothing  like  their  lying,  thieving,  cheating,  overreach- 
ing, intriguing,  caballing  and  plotting.  With  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  keep  angry  with  them  long,  as  they  are  never 
ashamed  or  enraged  at  being  detected  in  their  iniquities,  and 
their  gaiety  is  never  at  all  impaired  by  your  reproaches,  and  as 
they  are  all  equally  bad,  you  cannot  help  employing  them  the 
next  time  they  come  with  a  smiling  face. 

Gell  is  quite  furious  at  my  finding  time  to  write,  never  con- 
sidering that  he  passes  whole  mornings  in  taking  angles  to  form 
half  a  map,  while  I  scramble  about  doing  absolutely  nothing ; 
though  I  believe  I  have  really  found  out  the  gap  through 
which,  as  my  servant  calls  it,  the  devil  took  away  that  Princess 
to  h — I.  It  is  quite  surprising  what  an  enthusiasm  has  seized 


512  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [1312 

all  our  D'rumsticks  for  antiquities,  and  with  what  avidity  they 
undertake  the  most  laborious  journeys  over  rocks  and  precipices 
in  search  of  broken  columns,  when  they  perhaps  would  grudge 
carrying  a  note  from  Albany  to  Portland  Place.  One  of  them 
passes  his  life  in  digging  for  our  artists,  and  was  so  overjoyed 
at  having  part  of  a  peppermint,  which  you  would  never  guess 
to  mean  a  pediment. 

By  the  bye,  I  believe  Ceres,  or  her  descendants  the  Greek 
saints,  have  great  objections  to  have  their  monuments  examined 
and  turned  about  by  English  hands,  for  Gell  and  his  servant 
were  stopped  in  a  research  of  that  kind  by  an  unknown  but 
threatening  voice  which  bade  them  'dig  no  more;'  and  the 
latter  dreamt  of  it,  and  woke  us  all  by  hallooing  aloud :  for  my 
part  I  have  seen  the  shades  of  Ceres  and  Proserpine,  and  I 
expect  more  visions.  Talking  of  visions,  I  am  tormented  by 
bad  dreams,  and  one  of  them  is  that  Lady  C.  Campbell  is  dead ; 
it  has  returned  so  often  that  it  begins  to  make  me  unhappy,  and 
I  long  to  return  to  Athens  for  no  other  reason  than  the  hope  of 
getting  rid  of  it. 

This  place  is  entirely  inhabited  by  Albanians  or  their  grand- 
sons, and  these  have  the  prettiest  dresses  you  can  imagine.  I 
went  into  one  of  their  cottages  yesterday  to  see  a  boy  that  was 
ill  of  an  intermittent  fever,  and  the  child  of  the  house,  about  a 
year  and  a  half  old,  seeing  something  strange  in  a  dark  dress 
(their's  are  always  white),  began  to  scream ;  when  its  grand- 
mother, to  pacify  it,  told  it  I  was  a  dog,  and  began  patting  and 
coaxing  me,  which  so  encouraged  the  brat  that  it  came  up  to 
me  and  made  doggish  noises  at  me,  and  wanted  to  put  some 
bread  into  my  mouth,  which  you  will  allow  was  quite  a  new 
adventure  and  mentioned  in  nobody's  travels. 

Grell  has  had  two  fits  of  the  gout  since  we  left  England,  but 
the  Eau  Medicinale  has  cured  him.  As  to  me,  I  never  was  so 
well  in  all  my  life,  not  even  when  I  wrote  my  name  so  often  on 
the  wall  at  Florence,  which  you  afterwards  saw,  which  was  the 
beginning  of  our  acquaintance. 

Eleusis,  Sunday,  March  1. 

Good  fortune  has  sent  the  Frederick  stein  frigate  into  the 
Pira3us,  not  to  take  us  to  Smyrna  as  we  expected,  but  to  carry 
this  to  Malta,  where  it  is  going  with  dispatches ;  so  to-morrow 
morning  I  ride  off  to  Athens  to  see  the  captain  and  commit  my 


1812]         LETTER   FROM   THE   HON.   KEPPEL   CRAVEN.  513 

letter  to  his  care.  We  learn  that  Frederick  North  is  at  Ohio, 
his  nephew,  Mr.  Douglas,  gone  to  Eussia,  and  Cockerell  the 
architect  reaping  Ionian  antiquities  long  before  us.  Poor  Grell 
is  not  quite  as  well  as  I  wish,  and  I  apprehend  a  return  of  gout. 
It  is  quite  English  March  weather,  with  rain  and  hail,  but 
though  in  a  mud  cottage,  we  have  excellent  fires,  and  when  it 
holds  up,  it  is  so  fine  and  summery  that  I  walked  yesterday 
eight  miles  to  the  top  of  a  horned  mountain,  and  bathed  in  the 
sea  when  I  returned,  finding  it  so  hot.  . 

I  must  now  take  my  leave  of  you,  quite  delighted  at  finding 
a  chance  of  the  letter  going.  Anacharsis  sends  all  manner  of 
loves  to  both  of  you  and  Mr.  Berry,  to  whom  you  will  please  to 
give  my  kindest  regards.  Also  say  a  thousand  kind  things  for 
us  both  to  dear  Mrs.  Darner,  and  if  you  ever  meet  the  '  mode- 
rate horror,'  tell  her  I  often  think  of  her. 
And  believe  me,  dearest  friends, 

Yours  most  sincerely  and  affectionately, 

R.  K.  CRAVEN. 


From  Sir  Wm.  Gell  to  the  Miss  Berrys. 

Smyrna,  May  7,  1812. 

MOST  AGREEABLE  PEOPLE, —  You  are  always  so  kind  and  so 
amiable  to  me  that  you  stand  instead  of  father,  mother,  and 
family  to  me,  and  your  house  instead  of  an  at-home  in  the 
country,  and  that  is  my  excuse  for  writing  to  you  as  if  by  my 
writing  I  prevented  you  from  forgetting  me  amidst  the  gaieties 
of  London.  We  are  at  length  arrived  at  Smyrna,  not,  indeed, 
much  the  worse  for  wear,  but  some  three  months  later  than  we 
intended,  on  account  of  the  horrors  we  have  been  submitting 
to  on  account  of  the  pirates  and  Mainiote  thieves,  who  cut 
off  noses  and  ears  by  way  of  the  least  harm  that  can  happen 
to  you,  and  who  have,  except  for  armed  vessels,  completely 
cleared  the  Archipelago  from  everything  like  a  sail  or  an  oar. 
We  have  done,  however,  a  great  deal,  though  we  have  not  done 
one  single  thing  we  were  sent  about;  for  instance,  we  have 
entirely  discovered  and  put  on  a  new  footing  the  Temple  of 
Ceres  at  Eleusis,  we  have  restored  a  Temple  of  Diana  Propylaea, 
which  people  never  dreamed  of,  and  we  have  completely  arranged 
the  Propylaea  as  large  as  those  of  Athens,  without  wanting  a 

VOL.  II.  L  L 


514 


MISS  BEERY'S  CORRESPONDENCE. 


[1812 


single  member.  All  this  is  much  better  than  the  Asiatic  busi- 
ness in  point  of  interest ;  so  this  is  a  plan  of  it,  for  you  and 
Mrs.  Darner : — 1,  Temple  of  Ceres,  about  180  feet  square,  with 
a  portico  of  twelve  columns  in  front ;  what  think  you  of  that  ? 
5,  a  portal  of  the  Corinthian  order ;  2,  the  Propylsea,  the  inner 
ranges  of  which  are  Ionic ;  3,  a  great  pavement ;  4,  the  Temple 
of  Diana  Propylsea ;  6,  6,  6,  wall  of  the  peribolus.  All  these 
things  are  of  white  marble,  and  we  are  ready  in  between  thirty 
•  nd  forty  plates.  There  is  something  for  you.  We  think  of 


going  hence  to  Sardis  in  a  few  days,  but  the  Turks  are  levying 
troops,  and  therefore  the  shops  are  shut  for  fear  of  the  said 
gentlemen  helping  themselves  to  what  suits  them,  and  all  for 
nothing,  so  we  cannot  get  what  we  want.  We  have  reports  of 
plagues,  which  I  don't,  however,  see  much  reason  to  believe  in, 
though  I  am  certain  Sir  Harry  will  send  for  a  doctor  the  instant 
he  hears  of  anything  from  Turkey.  The  worst  thing  I  now 
hear  of,  is  of  the  Aga  of  Denislen,  who  commands  the  cities  of 
Laodicaea,  their  Apolis  and  Aphrodisias,  and  who  is  now  in  so 
violent  and  outrageous  a  state  of  rebellion  that  nothing  can  touch 
his  feelings.  We  are  now  trying  to  negociate  him  through 
other  rebels,  his  friends,  but  I  have  as  yet  heard  of  no  results. 
At  all  events  I  shall  do  something,  and  have  not  the  least  doubt 
of  Samos  and  Sardis,  Patara  and  Telmissus.  They  threaten 
me  with  the  plague  at  Tralles,  in  addition  to  the  terrible  Aga  of 
Denislen,  who,  if  he  cannot  be  calmed,  will  jockey  me  out  of 
four  of  my  places.  I  must  inform  you,  however,  that  the 
restorers  of  temples,  as  they  thought  after  Vitruvius,  who  have 
published  the  Dilettanti  work,  are  considerably  blown  up,  and 
are  accused  of  having  searched  so  little  that  they  have  falsified 


1812]  LETTER   FROM   SIR   W.    GELL.  515 

the  temples,  particularly  that  of  Bacchus  at  Teos,  most  cruelly. 
Mr.  Cockerell,  I  understand,  says  the  building  is  quite  of  another 
shape  from  that  represented.     The  truth  is,  the  thing  was  not 
understood  in  those  days ;  however,  we  shall  probably  see  what 
truth  there  is  in  this.     We  know  that  the  Dilly  have  published 
Ceres  at  Eleusis  with  six  columns,  and  we  know  that  we  find 
twelve,  and  that  it  was  like  a  Moorish  mosque,  all  supported 
with  pillars,  dotted  about  like  the  mosque  at  Cordova.     This 
country  is  exquisitely  beautiful  and  well  wooded;   the  town 
I  do  not  much  patronise.     The  English  are,  I  think,  rather 
gone  down  in  the  world  since  my  last  visit  to  these  countries. 
The  Dardanelles  expedition  and  Egyptian   have  done  us  no 
good,  though  Miss  Agnes  and  the  Talents  planned  them.     And 
I  shall  seal  to  you  with  a  seal  I  bought,  which  was  that  of 
one  of  the   Persian   satraps   slain  at  the  battle  of  Talavera 
— I  mean  Marathon.    I  don't  think  we  shall  be  home  before 
March  1813,  when  I  hope  you  will  all  have  good  fires  to  receive 
us.    We  have  had  here  the  worst  winter  ever  known  ;  it  snowed 
three  or  four  hours  one  day  at  Athens,  and  was  cold  for  six  or 
seven.     I  have  had  ninety  gouts,  and  drunk  half  my  cellar  of 
Husson.     Moreover,  I  got  it  three  or  four  times  by  going  up 
mountains  to  make  a  map  of  the  sacred  way  from  Athens  to 
Eleusis,  which  '  though  I  say  it  as  should  not,'  is  by  far  the 
best  map  ever  yet  seen  of  any  country,  which  I  mention  to  you 
in  private,  that  you  may  have  the  penetration  of  discovering  its 
merit,  for  of  course  among  the  fine  architectural  drawings,  an 
unfortunate  map  will  make  no  figure  at  all,  though  it  cost  me 
a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  gout,  and,  moreover,  between  sleep- 
ing and  waking,  always  gave  me  deep  ravines  and  glens  in  my 
knees  and  ancles  all  the  time  I  was  laid  up.     I  hope  you  will 
not  be  wicked  enough  to  omit  writing  to  me  at  this  place,  which 
I  see  by  my  instructions  are  our  head-quarters ;  and  as  Lady 
Hardwicke  has  recovered  the  art  of  speaking,  and  is  therefore 
no   longer  fit  to  represent  the  sign  of  the  'good  woman,'  I 
beg  you  will  present  me  most  piously  to  said  Lady  and  her 
Lord.     Pray  don't  suffer  Mr.  Berry  to  set  the  room  to  rights, 
or  to  prevent  the  lighting  of  the  fire,  for  I  am  sure  you  are 
all  dying  of  cold.     Adieu !  my  dears ;  I  kiss  Miss  Agnes  be- 
tween the  eyes  and  salute  the  curls  which  adorn  your  head 
when  you  are  in  a  gala  dress.     I  would  send  something  kind 

1  L    2 


516 


MISS  BERRY'S  CORRESPONDENCE. 


[1812 


to  the  Marchioness  of  Davies  Sl,  and  to  Mr.  Moore,  who  would 

*  have  lent  me  his  carriage  if  I  dared.     Ah,  Mrs.  Harrot,  who 

came  from  the  garret  when  your  mistress  laughed  at  the  Italian 


A   THEEMIAN   LADY.* 

in  my  letter,  remember  how  you  cheated  us  out  of  the  York- 
shire pudding  twice,  and  expect  not  a  fig  from  Smyrna. 

Your  ever  affectionate, 

ANACHAKSIS. 

Pray  remember  me  most  cordially  to  the  Daughter  of 
Phidias. 

*  '  What  is  beauty  but  a  name  ? ' — that  is,  observe  the  beautiful  Lady 
of  Thermia,  an  island  at  which  we  anchored.  '  Beauty  when  unadorned 
's  adorn'd  the  most,' — that  is,  if  people  wear  red  silk  stockings  stuffed  at  the 
ancles  with  cotton,  put  on  fifteen  jackets  and  flounces  all  of  different  colours, 
they  must  look  like  feather-beds  and  walk  like  geese.  There  is  a  beauty  for 
you  who  enslaves  all  beholders  at  Thermia. 


1812]  LETTER   FROM   SIR   W.    GELL.  517 

From  the  Same  to  the  Same. 

Cnidos,  July  3,  1812. 

This  letter  ought  to  be  addressed  to  all  lovers  of  retirement, 
for  there  is  not  a  soul  except  our  own  party  or  its  adherents 
within  three  hours,  which  may  indeed  be  all  the  better  for  us, 
as  the  whole  country  has  the  plague,  from  Pergamo  to  Attalia. 
We  have  voyaged  in  pursuit  of  Dillydandyisms,  sometimes  with 
and  sometimes  without  success,  for  the  last  two  mouths,  in  little 
boats ;  and  as  our  course  was  southward,  and  a  strong  N.  wind 
called  Meltame  blows  all  the  summer,  we  have  always  termi- 
nated our  trips  in  a  very  short  time ;  but  that  is  not  all :  the 
Asiatic  terra  firma  is  plagued,  the  islands  will  not  receive  you 
for  fear  of  the  plague,  you  have  French  privateers  in  all  the 
gulphs,and  behind  every  rock  you  are  in  danger  of  pouncing  upon 
the  Mainiote  pirates, — so  that  I  don't  know  whether  it  will  be 
possible  to  avoid  such  a  series  of  plagues,  or  jockey  such  a 
variety  of  thieves.     At  Samos,  one  of  our  objects  of  research, 
we  lived  three  weeks  in  a  magazine  near  the  ruins,  but  the 
temple  has  only  half  of  one  column  standing,  and  the  brutes  of 
the  place  would  not  let  us  dig ;  in  spite  of  which,  however,  we 
have  a  temple  about  350  feet  long,  ten  columns  by  twenty  of 
the  Ionic  order,  near  seven  feet  diameter ;  we  have  a  sacred  way 
from  it  to  the  city  ;  and  we  have  a  large  city,  the  walls  of  which 
are  very  perfect,  with  an  agora,  of  which  we  have  made  out 
something  with  ornaments,  something  new,  and  the  remains  of 
the  great  mole  which  was  120  feet  high.     We  came  to  Samos 
from  Scio,  where,  oh !  ye  gods,  what  millions  of  gardens  and 
picturesque  towers  in  them,  and  orange  and  lemon  flowers  with- 
out end  !    Thence  Craven  departed  to  Constantinople,  where  he 
will  be  lucky  enough  to  be  presented  by  or  with  Mr.  Liston,  who 
just  arrived  in  time.     We  should  now  expect  him  to  return  to 
us,  but  think  between  all  the  crossings  and  jostlings  we  have 
had  in  a  very  zigzag  course,  the  pirates,  privateers,  and  the 
plague,  he  will  be  a  full  month  in  finding  us  out.    From  Samos 
we  took  our  boat  and  sailed  towards  Cos,  with  a  strong  wind, 
which  would  have  just  carried  us  to  Gaithronisi,  into  the  mouths 
of  the  thieves,  had  we  not  met  with  a  boat  which  had  just 
escaped  them.     We  immediately  turned  about,  and  were  going 
to  give  up  Asia  entirely,  and  retire  to  Delos  till  the  plague  was 


518  MISS  BERRY'S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1312 

over,  but  we  had  scarcely  reached  the  Cape  of  Trogylium,  under 
M*  Mycale,  when  a  strong  breeze  sprang  up  again  and  tore  us 
along  to  windward  of  the  robbers,  across  the  mouth  of  the 
Meander,  to  the  port  of  the  Jeronta,  or  the  oracle  of  the  Bran- 
chidse,  near  Miletus.  This  was  a  little  corner  peopled  by 
Athenians  and  Salaminians,  where  they  kept  a  kind  of  guard 
against  infection,  though  not  very  strictly.  There  we  examined 
the  temple  of  Apollo  Didymseus,  of  which  the  ruins  are  stupen- 
dous ;  the  columns  are  Ionic,  but  the  Dilettanti  have  published 
their  capitals ;  however  the  height,  and  plan,  and  almost  everything 
else  were  wanting.  How  the  late  mission  did  not  manage  to 
give  more  details  we  could  not  conceive.  We  set  to  work, 
therefore,  and  can  now  give  you  views,  a  map  of  the  place,  a 
plan,  section,  elevation,  and  the  order  complete ;  besides  digging 
up  all  but  one  of  the  statues,  which  are  the  oldest  specimen  of 
sculpture  in  Greece,  with  the  Boustrophedon  inscription,  which 
is  ibis,  on  one  of  them.  We  have 
drawn  and  measured  the  whole  set 
of  these  gentry,  and  as  they  are  in- 

i       vi       •  •    .1       r      i    i        T     i.    11     u 

valuable  in  point  of  style,  I  shall  be 
much  obliged  to  you  to  communicate 

the  account  of  them  to  Mr.  Knight,  and  those  who  are  or  may 
be  concerned  in  the  second  volume  of  Statues  by  the  Dilly's, 
as  they  will  make  a  very  prominent  figure  in  the  same.  That 
with  the  inscription  has  lost  its  body,  but  there  are  several  others 
much  more  Egyptian  than  Greek.  As  to  the  temple,  it  was 
one  of  the  largest  in  the  world,  and  the  heap  of  ruins,  though 
only  three  columns  are  standing,  is  wonderful.  It  had  ten 
columns  by  twenty-one,  was  not  quite  so  broad  as  that  at  Samos, 
but  a  little  longer  ;  there  were  five  or  six  rows  of  columns  sixty- 
four  feet  high,  between  the  front  and  the  Pronaos,  all  which  we 
have  established,  and  the  whole  disposition  of  the  pilasters 
within ;  some  of  the  same  are  given  in  the  first  volume  of  the 
'  Ionian  Antiquities.'  The  columns  are  about  seven  feet  diame- 
ter, but  being  so  very  tall  one  can  only  wonder  that  any  remain. 
The  ornaments  are  very  elegant,  but  the  marble  is  not  so  fine 
as  the  Athenian,  and  the  whole  gives  one  the  idea  of  being  built 
for  the  benefit  of  the  first  earthquake  instead  of  being  erected 
for  eternity,  like  those  of  European  Greece.  We  sailed  from 
Jeronta  to  Cos,  where  we  remained  only  two  days,  and  then 


1812]  LETTER   FROM   SIR  W.    GELL.  519 

went  to  Halicarnassus  (Budrom)  on  the  opposite  coast  of  Caria, 
where  the  Bey  kept  guard  against  the  plague.  It  is  a  most 
beautiful  spot,  and  the  tomb  of  Mausolus  I  have  no  doubt  is 
now  converted  into  the  foundations  of  the  castle,  which  is  a 
picturesque  building  of  the  time  of  the  Knights  of  Rhodes. 
From  Halicarnassus  we  sailed  in  about  three  hours  to  this  place, 
Cnidos,  Capo  Crio,  or  Takir  Boroun.  One  would  not  have  ex- 
pected that  anything  dedicated  to  Venus  should  have  so  com- 
pletely changed  its  nature  as  to  have  become  the  Cold  Cape,  as 
it  is  now  called.  The  place  is  the  most  curious  one  ever  saw, 
but  very  convenient  for  trade  or  defence,  if  its  inhabitants  could 
have  lived  without  eating,  for  there  is  no  cultivable  ground  in 
sight,  yet  the  city  must  have  been  very  large.  The  island  is 
defended  toward  the  sea  by  the  most  magnificent  precipices  I 
ever  saw.  The  walls  and  towers  are  tremendously  strong,  and 
nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty  of  the  ports  or  the  magnificence 
of  the  city  seen  from  the  island ;  where,  besides  many  terraces 
of  the  most  ponderous  masonry,  you  have  in  sight  a  theatre  of 
white  marble  between  two  terraces,  on  one  of  which  we  have  a 
Doric  portico  of  more  than  fifty  columns,  300  feet  long,  over-r 
looked  by  a  Corinthian  temple  of  white  marble,  and  on  the  other 
side  a  terrace,  with  what  I  have  not  yet  discovered.  We  are 
living  in  holes  and  corners,  among  ruined  Greek  churches 
and  bushes ;  but  upon  the  whole  the  place  is  not  unpleasant, 
as  the  wind  is  constant  and  furious,  so  that  we  don't  die  of  heat, 
as  we  otherwise  should  do.  In  the  winter  Capo  Crio  must  be 
the  devil  of  a  place ;  and  certainly  the  sea  which  flies  over  it 
now,  must  then  have  draggled  poor  Venus  most  woefully.  She 
really  might  be  said  to  rise  out  of  the  froth  of  the  sea  here,  for 
the  spray  almost  reaches  us,  and  coming  round  the  corner,  I 
never  saw  anything  so  frightful  as  the  rocks,  so  terrible  as  the 
whirlwind,  or  so  torn  into  dust  as  the  waves. 

July  6. 

Animals,  which  the  sun  invigorates  at  first,  die  of  too  large  a 
dose — a  moral  reflection  upon  the  grasshoppers,  and  locusts,  and 
fleas.  The  former  have  lived  upon  my  pantaloons,  and  the 
latter  upon  me  for  some  days ;  but  the  sun  has  now  silenced 
completely  the  singing  and  skipping  of  the  whole  party,  and 
they  are  giving  up  the  ghost  and  drying  up,  post  haste,  in  all 
quarters.  Yesterday  we  broiled  to  the  tombs  which  adorned  the 


520  MISS  BERRY'S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1512 

sacred  way.  The  great  people  must  have  had  the  plague,  there 
are  so  many ;  and  a  great  deal  of  money,  they  are  so  solid ;  and 
have  been  very  fine  fellows,  for  most  of  them  are  styled  heroes. 

It  saves  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
pense in  paper  to  say  they  were 
some  thus,  and  others  plain 
towers,  with  massy  cornices  and 
the  sarcophagus  within.  We 
have  found  a  temple  of  the 
Ionic  order,  very  small  but  very 
beautiful ;  but  upon  the  whole  we  have  every  reason  to  believe 
ourselves  cruelly  indebted  to  the  Komans  for  our  specimens  of 
architecture  here.  We  have  had  a  visit  from  the  Aga,  and  as 
he  fell  in  love  with  my  sword,  which  I  could  not  spare,  I  gave 
him  some  pistol  barrels,  with  which  he  rode  off  on  a  mule,  too 
happy,  having  disentangled  with  much  labour  his  Tartar  panta- 
loons from  the  bushes  and  stones.  They  are  made  of  about 
forty  ells  of  thick  sky-blue  cloth.  He  brought  us  two  or  three 
lambs ;  some  yaunti  or  sour  milk,  like  milk  and  lemons ;  some 
Kaimak,  which  is  a  thick  edition  of  the  film  on  boil'd  milk,  very 
good  in  tea  ;  and  he  sent  us  as  many  people  as  we  want  to  dig 
at  Venus,  Apollo,  and  Neptune,  so  that  upon  the  whole  he  was 
of  great  use ;  besides  telling  all  his  people  to  bring  us  what  we 
wanted.  The  natives  are  all  Turks ;  they  are  very  quiet,  and 
sit  at  the  distance  of  fifty  yards  from  our  dens  or  tents  to  see  us, 
not  rushing  in  as  the  Greeks  do.  There  have  been  people  from 
a  great  distance  to  see  the  Milords,  and  they  all  bring  a  present 
of  cucumbers,  melons,  or  whatever  they  are  possessed  of,  for 
which  presents,  however,  we  are  glad  to  pay  them,  for  the  near- 
est village  is  an  hour  and  a-half,  and  the  Agao  village,  who 
makes  good  Kaimak,  is  four  or  five.  The  Cnidian  post  not  being 
regular  since  the  battles  of  Issus  and  Arbela,  I  shall,  I  hope,  send 
this  from  Ehodes.  N.B. — On  the  16th  I  had  the  gout,  and 
was  laid  up ;  the  consequence  was  an  earthquake  ;  so  as  it  was 
very  doubtful  whether  my  ruin  would  stand  without  any  assist- 
ance at  all,  I  bounced  out  at  the  first  shock.  The  jackals  eat  up 
the  sheep,  Mr.  Bedford  fell  ill  of  an  ague,  and  so  we  proceeded 
to  Ehodes,  where  I  now  write  this  on  the  19th.  No  news  of 
Craven,  so  I  give  him  up  for  the  voyage,  as  we  shall  proceed  to 
Maori,  and  to  consult  the  oracle  at  Patara  immediately. 


1812]         LETTER   FROM   THE   HON.   KEPPEL   CRAVEN.  521 

From  the  Hon.  R.  K.  Craven  to  Miss  Eerry. 

Constantinople,  Wednesday,  July  8. 

MY  DEAR  FRIENDS, — I  am  much  tempted  to  defer  the  writing 
to  you  for  some  days,  in  order  that  I  may  impress  your  minds 
with  awe  by  dating  from  Mount  Olympus,  where  I  am  going ; 
but  I  reflected  that  you  might,  at  the  same  time,  be  alarmed 
by  an  idea  that  I  might  have  become  an  eternal  inhabitant  of 
that  elevated  region,  and  I  prefer  addressing  you  as  an  humble 
Christian  to  the  vanity  of  shamming  demigod.  This  letter 
ought  to  be  very  classical,  for  it  will  be  conveyed  by  the  ( Argo,' 
but  I  fear  I  can  only  make  it  commonplace,  being  induced  to 
write  by  the  certainty  of  its  reaching  you  in  safety,  and  not 
costing  much  more  than  it  is  worth.  I  have  been  here  exactly 
three  weeks,  which  are  more  than  enough  to  satisfy  curiosity, 
and  perhaps  too  much  to  be  pleasant,  as  there  is  no  place  I 
should  so  much  dislike  as  a  residence,  notwithstanding  its  na- 
tural beauties,  which  I  acknowledge  to  be  unique.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Listen  made  their  entree  about  ten  days  since,  and  the  ex- 
minister,  Mr.  Canning,*  returns  to  England  in  the  ship  that 
brought  them  out,  which  was  not  allow'd  to  come  up  higher 
than  the  Darningneedles ;  the  rest  of  their  voyage  being  per- 
form'd  in  open  boats,  in  which  Her  Excellency  slept  every  night 
with  the  common  sailors ;  but  don't  think  I  mean  to  be  scan- 
dalous, her  august  spouse  being  also  of  the  party.  That  is  the 
only  mode  of  conveyance  at  this  time  of  year,  and  is  probably 
the  most  eligible  as  well  as  agreeable,  for  the  north  wind  pre- 
vails so  constantly,  that  a  voyage  in  anything  but  row  boats 
would  be  a  never-ending  undertaking,  and  this  only  lasts  four 
or  five  days. 

I  have  been  divorced  from  the  learned  mission  ever  since  the 
26th  of  May,  when  they  sail'd  from  Scio  to  Samos,  and  are 
since  gone  to  Khodes  and  such  parts  of  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor 
as  the  plague  will  allow  them  to  examine.  This  said  plague 
broke  out  at  Smyrna  the  very  day  after  we  left  it,  and  there  are 
some  feeble  reports  of  its  being  here — that  is,  there  have  been 
what  are  term'd  a  few  accidents  in  the  Turkish  town ;  that  is, 

•  Now  Lord  Stratford  de  Redcliffe. 


522  MISS   BERRY'S    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1812 

people  dying  without  any  apparent  cause  but  the  will  of  God. 
You  need,  however,  not  be  the  least  alarm'd,  for  this  letter  will 
be  quarantin'd,  and  fumigated  very  often  before  it  reaches 
North  Audley  Street,  which  I  calculate  to  be  in  about  three 
months.  The  moment  I  have  visited  the  abode  of  the  gods,  I 
shall  set  off  in  quest  of  my  earthly  companions,  though  I  have 
not  the  smallest  idea  where  I  shall  light  upon  them.  I  visited 
Mitylene  and  the  Troad  in  my  way  here.  At  the  former  place, 
I  was  all  but  stoned  to  death  by  Sappho's  descendants,  who 
would  insist  upon  it  I  came  from  Smyrna  with  the  plague ;  and 
I  was  obliged  to  fly  for  protection  to  the  Bishop,  who  was  very 
gracious,  and  gave  me  a  wooden  spoon  to  scratch  my  back ; 
which  reminds  me  that  Mrs.  Forasti,  a  great  lady  at  Zante,  when 
Mrs.  Airey,  the  Governor's  wife,  complain'd  of  cold,  stirr'd  the 
coals  of  the  brazier  with  a  silver  tea-spoon  she  drew  from  her 
pocket.  Such  are  the  primitive  manners  of  Ionian  dames.  I 
have  seen  the  Sultan  twice.  He  is  like  Lord  Aberdeen,  and 
looks  dignified  in  pale  melancholy.  You  would  long  to  steal 
all  his  horse's  trappings  to  make  sofa-covers  of  the  saddle- 
cloths, and  necklaces  of  the  bridles  ;  but  what  Miss  Agnes  would 
absolutely  die  of,  in  a  transport  of  embroidery  is  the  bazaar  for 
handkerchiefs,  which  is,  indeed,  enough  to  turn  the  most  stoic 
brain.  I  have  never  ventur'd  but  once  in  it.  You  may  hear 
of  the  Seraglio  and  St.  Sophia,  and  the  Seven  Towers ;  but 
nothing  is  to  be  compared  to  the  said  bazaar,  except  it  is  the 
two  caps  which1  are  always  carried  immediately  after  the  Grand 
Signor  when  he  rides  out.  You  must  not  imagine  that  I  am 
deck'd  out  in  Oriental  finery,  like  Lady  Hester  Stanhope.  I 
preserve  my  independence  and  European  over-alls.  She  dis- 
plays hers  by  Turkish  trowsers,  and  rides  a  la  Mameluke  on  a 
fine  Arabian  given  her  by  the  Pacha  of  Cairo,  with  an  alarming 
number  of  pistols  in  her  girdle.  The  fashionable  place  here 
for  the  summer  is  a  village  call'd  Buyukdere,  which  is  anything 
but  retired  ;  at  the  same  time  better  than  this,  and  with  some 
sort  of  society,  as  there  are  the  Foreign  Ministers,  two  of  which, 
the  Spanish  and  Neapolitan,  are  really  extremely  pleasant, 
though  the  former  talks  of  the  bagues  de  la  mer.  Here  there 
are  nothing  but  Dragowomen,  very  ill  calculated  to  support  the 
credit  of  their  husbands'  employments,  if  one  is  to  judge  from 
their  silence.  Count  Italinsky  is  arrived  by  way  of  Russian 


181-2]          LETTER   FROM   THE    HOX.    KEPPEL    CRAVEN.  523 

Minister ;  but  peace  is  not  yet  signed,  and  the  prisoners  of  war 
not  released  from  the  arsenal  here,  so  there  are  some  sceptics 
on  the  subject.  Our  ambassadress  is  a  very  good-natur'd  sort 
of  person  ;  but  I  am  very  much  alarm'd  about  her,  since  I  have 
read  that  there  is  a  fountain  on  the  sea-shore  in  Thrace  which 
has  the  singular  property  of  causing  the  ewes  that  drink  of  it 
to  produce  black  lambs.  The  boats  that  come  from  the  Darda- 
nelles usually  stop  at  every  fountain  they  come  to,  and  should 
Her  Excellency  have  tasted  of  this  prolific  stream,  I  leave  you 
to  judge  of  the  consequences ;  for,  putting  aside  Mr.  Listen's 
feelings  on  the  subjects,  it  will  be  such  an  example  to  the  corps 
diplomatique.  I  wish  you  were  here,  that  I  might  take  you 
to  the  Cumberland  tea-gardens,  under  the  shape  of  a  shiosque 
at  a  spot  call'd  les  Eaux  douces,  which  I  think  you  would 
admire  almost  as  much  as  the  original,  and  where  you  would 
get  some  very  thick  coffee  without  cream  or  sugar,  and  some 
pipes,  both  which  are  acknowledged  to  be  infinitely  superior  to 
tea  and  bread  and  butter.  Mr.  Liston's  private  secretary  is  a 
Mr.  Turner,  whom  I  wanted  to  be  brother  to  your  Miss  Turner, 
though  not  agreeable  enough  to  belong  to  her.  Pray  tell 
her  so,  with  my  kind  remembrance  and  wishes  that  she  were 
here  to  nurse  me  under  the  sufferings  of  a  red-hot  coal,  which 
Miss  Agnes  once  had  on  her  back,  but  which  is  fixed  on  the 
back  of  my  neck,  and  yields  not  to  poultice  or  plaster.  People 
say  it  has  saved  my  life,  and  that  I  ought  to  be  very  glad ;  but 
I  really  am  very  sorry,  for  I  don't  sleep,  and  I  wish  you  would 
cure  it.  After  Brousa  I  am  going  to  Mt.  Athos,  and  fancy  I  am 
going  to  Thessalian  Tempe  and  Thermopylae ;  but  the  fact  is,  I 
am  going  to  hunt  for  Gell,  without  whom  I  am  a  fish  out  of 
water.  If  a  mouse  eats  your  bag  of  salt,  it  is  a  bad  omen ;  also 
if  you  have  two  bags  of  gall,  or  your  liver  is  meagre  and  un- 
usual, you  will  wage  war  with  great  energy  and  violence ;  but 
if  you  meet  a  person  with  one  eye  bigger  than  the  other,  you 
must  spit  three  times  in  his  bosom.  These  are  the  results  of 
my  present  studies,  which  you  may  communicate  to  any  anti- 
quarian you  please.  My  best  regards  wait  upon  Mr.  Berry, 
and  pray,  pray  say  a  thousand  kind  things  for  me  to  Mrs. 
Darner,  and  believe  that  I  am  ever  your  very  affecte  and  sincere 

E.  K.  CRAVEN. 


524  MISS  BERRY'S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [isi-2 

From  Sir  Wm.  Gell  to  the  Miss  Bei^rys. 

Vathi,  Samoa,  Nov.  26, 1812. 

Of  all  people  I  really  think  the  amiable  Queens  of  North 
Audley  Street  were  the  very  last  from  whom  I  expected  a  letter, 
when  my  bug-puzzlers  or  curtains  were  untied  this  morning 
to  admit  a  packet  of  letters  from  Smyrna,  where  the  plague  is 
not  furious  at  present.      It  is  probable  that,  when  I  wrote  last 
to  you,  it  was  from  Capo  Crio  or  Cnidus,  and  in  that  letter  I 
must  have  given  you  the  history  of  the  pranks  of  the  Dilettanti 
up  to  that  time.      We  have  left  nothing  to  be  done  at  Patara  ; 
but  tombs,  and  not  temples,  and  theatres   of  Eoman  times 
(Vespasian)  are  the  chief  objects  of  curiosity  there.      As  to  the 
Oracle  of  Apollo,  there  is  nothing  by  which  it  can  be  traced,  nor 
are  there  any  remains  of  sufficient  antiquity.      Telmissus  was 
certainly  no  more  than  a  fortress,  nevertheless  it  was  a  large 
one,  and  the  theatre  of  great  size.     There  are  no  other  remains 
except  tombs  cut  in  the  rocks,  which  are  curious,  but  I  can  tell 
you  little  of  it,  as  I  was  so  ill  I  could  not  stand  when  I  was 
there,  and  kept  my  bed  for  two  months  afterwards  at  Ehodes, 
to  my  sorrow  and  the  irreparable  loss  of  the  learned  world.     It 
was  in  vain  we  tried  to  get  inland ;   the  plague  always  pre- 
vented us,  and  the  privateers  kept  the  sea  so  well,  that  with  the 
north  wind,  which  did  not  change  till  the  middle  of  October, 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  escape.    However,  no  time  was 
really  lost,  for  Messrs.  Bedford  and  Grandy  made  a  voyage  to 
Myra  in  Lycia,  whence  they  brought  home  the  richest  collection 
of  tombs,  good,  bad,  quizzical,  and  clockcasical  ever  seen,  which 
I  hope  we  shall  have  published.     At  length,  however,  we  got  to 
Samos,  and  having  discovered  an  opening  on  the   continent 
without  the   plague,  though  it  was  only  three  hours  off,  we 
resolved  on  a  push  for  Aphrodisias,  if  possible,  as  well  as  Mag- 
nesia on  the  Meander.     In  order  to  effect  this,  and  not  to  have 
our  return  intercepted  by  this  happy  malady,  I  found  the  only 
way  would  be  to  send  one  of  the  artists  one  way,  and  one  the 
other.     It  fell  to  Mr.  Gandy's  lot,  therefore,  to  procure  the  true 
and  genuine  Aphrodisiacs  for  the  Society.      To  mine  and  Mr. 
Bedford's  the  introduction  to  the  world  of  the  celebrated  and 
much-longed-for  temple  of  Diana  Leucophryne  at  Magnesia 
Neckclothia  Pennytrumpettata  ad  Mseandrum.    I  do  assure  you 


181-2]  LETTER   FROM   SIR   W.    CELL.  525 

there  is  not  a  grain  of  magnesia  on  the  spot  at  present.  The 
temple,  however,  is  beautiful,  and  only  the  greatest  treasure 
possible  to  artists,  being  cited  for  certain  peculiarities  by  Vitru- 
vius.  It  is  about  100  feet  by  200,  8  columns  in  front  and  15 
in  flanks  of  a  most  beautiful  Ionic, -4  feet  7  in.  in  diameter. 
Among  the  novelties  are  the  Amazonian  Ladies  on  the  frieze. 
The  Amazons  are  ridiculously  little  till  they  jump  from  their 
steeds,  when  they  become  the  most  strapping  heroines  possible. 
As  these  ladies  are  perishing  entirely  by  their  own  ambition,  one 
is  not  so  much  concerned  to  see  them  generally  torn  off  their 
horses  by  the  hair,  as  if  they  had  been  more  civilized  personages. 
Now,  I  shall  tell  you  neither  how  we  lived  in  a  mill  and 
then  in  a  baker's  shop  in  the  rainy  season,  neither  of  which 
had  tight  roofs,  nor  will  I  regale  you  with  an  attempt  to  sub- 
stitute curricles  for  horses,  which  were  drawn  by  two  black 
buffaloes,  which  I  suppose  are  yet  on  their  way  home,  as  they 
went  so  slow.  I  never  saw  them  but  at  first  setting  out,  for  all 
these  things  either  become  known,  or  are  not  worth  knowing. 
I  shall  give  you  an  account  of  Aphrodisias.  First  of  all,  you 
pass  through  Ouzel  Hissar,  where  only  30,000  people  died  of 
the  plague  last  year,  and  then  going  twice  as  far  to  the  crossing 
the  Meander  as  the  distance  hitherto  given  by  travellers,  you 
go  four  times  as  far  as  they  have  called  it  from  thence  to 
Aphrodisias.  The  people  are  great  drunkards,  both  Mussulmen 
and  Mussulwomen,  and  there  are  400  houses  among  the  ruins 
of  as  many  more.  They  care  neither  for  the  devil  or  Dr. 
Solomon,  so  that  the  Mission  had  to  pay  for  whatever  they 
measured.  The  situation  is  a  pretty  plain  watered  by  a  river, 
which,  from  an  inscription,  I  suppose  the  Timilus.  In  the 
middle  of  the  city  is  a  small  hill,  round  the  base  of  which  run 
walls,  built  of  odds  and  ends  of  temples,  Cupids,  giants,  Glauci, 
columns,  festoons,  and  common  stones.  This  beautifully  regu- 
lar work  was,  I  conclude  also  from  an  inscription,  the  work  of 
Constans  or  some  of  those  tasteful  emperors  whose  medals  show 
their  zeal  for  the  arts.  The  temple  of  Venus  is  destroyed,  but 
of  white  marble  equal  to,  if  not  really  Parian.  The  order  Ionic, 
with  6  columns  in  front  by  13.  N.B.  The  names  of  the  sub- 
scribers on  each.  It  would  be  good  if  you  could  get  rid  of 
certain  plinths  under  the  bases ;  but  it  was  built  in  Roman 
days,  when  plinths  were  thought  improvements.  In  front  of 


526  MISS  BERRY'S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1812 

the  temple  is  a  Propylaeum  of  the  Corinthian  order,  but  alas  ! 
this  has  twisted  columns.  Eound  the  temple  is  an  enclosure 
about  700  feet  long,  by  half  that  breadth.  This  is  also  formed 
of  Ionic  columns,  but  full  of  defects.  There  is  a  theatre 
very  much  ruined,  and  a  circus  very  perfect.  Inscriptions  of 
athletse  and  conquerors  at  all  kinds  of  nose-pulling,  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  abound.  The  place  must  have  grown  up 
from  some  extraordinary  miracle  committed  by  the  goddess, 
and  by  some  knowing  priest  contriving  the  games.  The  fact  is 
poca  cosa  vale  per  Marie,  though  people  have  said  so  much  of 
it.  Nevertheless,  a  great  number  of  columns  yet  standing 
justify  the  accounts  of  travellers  who  have  called  it  magnificent. 
From  what  I  see  of  the  country,  the  more  you  go  inland,  the 
less  of  Greek  and  more  of  Roman  will  be  your  fate ;  so  that  I 
regret  but  little  that  the  Plague  and  Co.  prevent  our  seeing 
Hierapolis,  and  as  to  Laodicaea,  it  was  entirely  Romanissimo. 
Every  fragment  Mr.  Grandy  found  at  Gruzel  Hissar  (Tralles)  was 
decidedly  Roman ;  and  as  to  Sardis,  though  there  is  a  great 
temple,  the  columns  are  buried  more  than  half,  so  that  to  make 
out  plan,  order,  or  elevation  would  have  cost  twice  the  capital 
of  the  Dandy's.  Magnesia  is  worth  all  Asia.  Indeed,  we  are 
now  very  rich  in  drawings,  really  richissimi.  We  are  coming 
home  post  haste,  if  that  can  be  haste  which  talks  of  3,000 
miles  by  sea,  and  a  certain  quarantine  of  forty  days,  wherever 
we  go.  We  believe  we  shall  manage,  through  Zante,  to  cheat 
some  of  the  imprisonment,  and  to  find  a  passage.  Our  business  is 
over,  and  we  are  only  here  till  H.M.  brig  *  Kite  '  comes  to  know 
our  fate.  In  the  meantime,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  an  ague  for 
my  amusement,  in  consequence  of  our  last  trip  and  more  of  one 
cold  day  here.  The  bustle  in  the  clouds  seems,  however,  now 
over,  and  serenity  is,  I  hope,  reestablished  in  the  atmosphere 
for  some  weeks.  We  were  above  six  months  without  rain,  but 
of  course  we  have  now  had  a  good  dose  of  it,  which,  I  suppose, 
will  do  till  February  or  March.  Pray  remember  me  most 
kindly  to  the  Daughter  of  Phidias.  I  shall  walk  in  to  your 
house  one  very  cold  day  in  March,  till  which  time,  believe  me, 
my  dear  good  friends, 

Your  most  affectionate 

ANACHAESIS. 
Mr.  Craven  sends  his  duty. 


1813]  MISS   BERRY   RETURNS   TO   LONDON.  527 


JOUENAL. 
1813. 

Wimpole,  Friday r,  Jan.  1st. — I  went  to  the  school-feast 
at  two  o'clock  with  Lady  Hardwicke's  two  daughters, 
and  assisted  in  helping  fify-three  mortals,  boys  and  girls, 
from  three  years  old  to  twelve,  with  plum-pudding,  meat 
pies,  and  roast  beef.  The  quantity  that  the  children  eat 
is  astonishing  !  After  dinner  the  prize  for  work  done  by 
each  child  in  the  course  of  the  year  was  given, — the  girls 
for  needlework  and  boys  for  knitting  stockings,  &c.  In 
my  life  I  never  saw  a  happier  assembly  ;  the  little  ones 
who  had  done  nothing  received  each  of  them  a  penny. 
There  were  also  prizes  for  those  who  wrote  the  best, 
and  who  hemmed  the  best,  to  which  I  had  the  honour 
of  contributing. 

Thursday,  1th. — The  little  Krumpholz  left  this  morn- 
ing for  London,  where  she  is  going  to  be  married  very 
suitably.  She  was  much  overcome  last  night  at  leaving 
this  house,  which  has  been  her  home  ever  since  she  was 
thirteen  years  old,  when  Lady  Hardwicke  took  charge  of 
her,  for  the  sake  of  music  and  speaking  French  with  her 
daughters.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  husband  of  the 
famous  harpist,  Madame  Krumpholz,  by  a  former  mar- 
riage. An  orphan,  without  father  or  mother,  the  Duchess 
of  Bourbon  took  charge  of  her,  had  her  educated  in  a 
convent,  'and  at  the  commencement  of  the  Eevolution 
wisely  found  her  another  protectress. 

Tuesday,  \Wi. — Eeturned  to  London. 


528  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isis 

From  Sir  U.  Price  to  Miss  Berry. 

Foxley,  January  19,  1813 

Here  is  a  most  flaming  ode  on  the  burning  of  Moscow,  &c., 
which  the  author  humbly  lays  at  your  feet.  When  you  have 
recovered  from  your  first  enthusiasm,  I  beg  you  will  exercise 
your  cooler  judgment,  and  send  me  your  criticisms.  It  will  be 
a  strange  thing  if  there  should  be  one  spark  of  fire  in  this  ode  of 
mine,  considering  the  time  and  circumstances  of  its  birth  :  it 
was  composed  almost  entirely  sub  Dio  and  sub  Jove  frigido, 
and  ancle  deep  in  snow ;  for  it  was  exactly  during  the  fortnight 
or  three  weeks  that  the  snow  lay  on  the  ground  before  Christ- 
mas. I  was  then  very  busy,  marking  and  cutting  in  a  wood  at 
some  distance ;  and  sometimes  I  drew  forth  my  hacker  (for  I 
carry  my  Durindana  in  a  scabbard),  and  sometimes  my  paper ; 
now  gave  a  coup  de  liache,  and  then  a  coup  de  crayon ;  and  in 
this  manner  '  I  built  the  lofty  rhyme.'  Thus  far,  indeed,  the 
state  of  the  weather  and  the  ground  might  be  of  use  to  me,  as 
I  could  paint  dal  vero  (tho'  heaven  be  praised,  from  a  very 
diminutive  scale),  the  icy  blast,  the  trackless  snow,  the  piercing 
cold,  &c.  You  will  immediately  see  that  as  far  as  metre  goes, 
I  had  Gray's  Bard  in  my  eye,  '  Numeros,' — I  wish  I  could  add, 
*  animosque  secutur.'  This  subject  is  certainly  a  very  fine  one  ; 
the  principal  actor  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  men  '  that 
ever  lived  on  the  tide  of  times,'  the  burning  of  Moscow  one  of 
the  most  extraordinary,  unexpected,  and  striking  events  that 
ever  took  place,  and  the  motives  and  consequences  not  less  so. 
Had  Gray  been  living,  and  in  the  full  possession  of  his  powers, 
he  could  have  made  a  noble  ode ;  but  you  know  that  poetry  is 
not  my  metier,  and  that,  as  Voltaire  once  chose  to  say  of  him- 
self, '  Je  ne  fais  que  de  la  vile  prose.'  After  all,  if  I  did  not  think 
this  bold  attempt  of  mine  had  some  merit,  I  should  not  send  it 
to  you ;  and  if  you  should  think  it  worth  showing  to  any  of  your 
poetical  and  critical  friends,  do  not  at  first  tell  them  whose  it  is, 
but  let  them  guess.  I  may,  perhaps,  be  well  taken  in  by  this 
request,  and  you  may  write  me  word  that  one  guessed  Parvus 
Pybus,  another,  Sir  James  Bland  Burges,  and  a  third  did 
not  think  the  thing  worth  guessing  at  at  all.  You  will,  of 
course,  show  it  to  Mrs.  Darner,  and  I  hope  she  will  not  be  dis- 
pleased with  the  Finale;  which,  by  the  by,  will  confine  the 


1813]         LETTER   TO   THE   COUNTESS   OP   HARDWICKE.          529 

guessers,  should  there  be  any,  to  a  narrow  choice.  I  sent  an 
early  copy  to  Fitzpatrick ;  and  Rogers  happening  to  come  in  at 
the  moment,  he  could  not  resist  showing  it  him  :  I  have  since 
altered  it  a  good  deal,  and  as  Rogers  had  seen  the  first  sketch,  I 
have  sent  him  this  new,  and  I  hope  improved,  edition.  He  and 
Fitzpatrick  are  the  only  persons  out  of  my  own  family  to  whom 
the  secret  (which  indeed  is  none),  has  been  told.  One  circum- 
stance mentioned  in  these  verses  is  strikingly  confirmed  by  what 
my  nephew  Ld  Tyrconnel  was  an  eye-witness  of :  he  saw  the 
late  governor  of  Moscow  set  fire  to  his  own  magnificent  palace. 
You  may  happen  to  have  seen  in  the  papers  that  Ld  Tyrconnel 
has  been  with  Admiral  Tchesagoff :  it  is  an  odd  circumstance, 
though  certainly  not  of  a  lyrical  kind,  that  the  parson  of  my 
parish  was  the  man  who  married  this  amphibious  hero  to  a 
daughter  of  Commissioner  Proby's ;  and,  to  finish  the  history, 
the  ceremony  was  performed  at  Paddington.  The  only  person, 
besides  Mrs.  Darner,  to  whom  I  wish  you  to  show  my  verses,  is 
my  friend  Sir  Harry  Englefield :  make  him  guess  and  criticise. 

Most  truly  yours, 

U.  PRICE. 

From  Miss  Berry  to  the  Countess  of  Hardwicke. 

North  Audley  Street,  Sunday,  21st  February,  1813. 
.  .  .  I  wish  what  you  say  upon  the  letter  of  the  Princess 
of  Wales  had  been  on  any  other  subject ;  it  is  so  just,  so  clever, 
so  well  expressed,  that  I  should  like  to  have  given  you  the 
credit  of  it  with  a  certain  number  of  people  and  passed  it  off  as 
my  own  with  others  ;  but  upon  this  subject  I  hear  as  much  and 
say  as  little  as  I  can  (I  mean  without  any  affectation  of  silence), 
for  fear  of  being  supposed  to  know  more  than  I  do.  It  was 
reported  yesterday  that  at  the  Council  held  on  Friday,  to  which 
many  Privy  Counsellors  not  Cabinet  Ministers  were  summoned, 
among  others,  little  Abbot,  that  it  had  been  determined  not  to 
adopt  any  measures  upon  the  Princess's  letter.  That  the  Chan- 
cellor* had  absolutely  refused  going  over  the  old  business  again. 
One  shall  know  in  the  course  of  to-day  if  this  is  true.  If  it  is 
(I  mean  that  no  fresh  investigation  is  to  be  proceeded  on),  the 
Princess  may  well  consider  it  as  a  triumph  (pray  Heaven  she 
bears  it  with  moderation ! ) ;  for  after  the  manner  that  all  the 

#  Lord  Eldon. 
VOL.  II.  M  M 


530  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

ministerial  people,  and  all  the  people  speaking  their  language, 
have  lately  expressed  themselves  of  her,  and  of  their  own  diffi- 
culties, for  these  last  two  years,  in  restraining  the  Prince  from 
taking  active  measures  against  her,  it  is  quite  impossible  to 
suppose  they  would  not  now  indulge  the  P.  if  it  were  in 
their  power.  .  .  .  The  report  is,  that  all  idea  of  proceeding 
against  her,  either  upon  old  or  new  griefs,  is  abandoned ;  and 
that  the  Prince's  ill-humour  is  such,  that  neither  ministers  nor 
servants  know  what  to  do  with  him.  .  .  . 

P.S. — Sir  H.  Davy,  who  was  here  last  night,  desires  me  to 
tell  you  that  the  nymph  Fiorina,  whom  he  was  expectiDg  to 
arrive  from  Wimpole  to  his  longing  arms  by  the  waggon  on 
Saturday  (what  a  sinking  in  poetry  !)  is  not  yet  come,  and  he 
begins  to  be  uneasy  about  her.  .  .  . 

Sunday,  March  21st. — Lieutenant-Colonel  Campbell 
and  I  set  out  for  Blackheath  :  we  found  Miss  Knight  with 
the  Princess.  She  was  visibly  touched  by  the  manner  in 
which  we  met  her  and  kissed  her  hand  :  the  tears  were  in 
her  eyes.  Afterwards  she  reseated  herself  and  was  very 
cheerful. 

Monday,  22nd. — In  the  evening  we  had  a  little  party 
of  seventeen  people  for  music,  which  passed  off  very 
agreeably.  After  the  music  they  waltzed ;  they  imitated 
the  opera-dancers,  and  then  acted  proverbs  in  pantomime : 
in  short,  it  so  chanced  they  were  really  gay  and  amused 
themselves. 

Saturday,.  27th. — We  arrived  at  Blackheath  at  five 
o'clock.  I  saw  the  Princess  in  the  garden.  We  walked 
a  little  while;  she  perceived  that  I  was  not  well,  and 
begged  I  would  not  dress.  On  going  down  to  dinner  I 
was  surprised  to  find  Lady  Percival  and  her  son,  a  boy  of 
fourteen  years  old.  Whilst  we  were  at  dinner  the  Duke 
of  Brunswick  came  to  speak  with  his  sister  about  their 
mother's  will.  They  retired  to  the  drawing-room,  and  we 
remained  with  the  second  course  before  us  for  nearly  an 
hour.  Afterwards  the  Princess  and  Lady  Clara  were 


1813]  LETTER   FROM    HON.    KEPPEL   CRAVEN.  531 

engaged  in  making  a  sketch  of  a  letter  and  an  envelope 
to  all  the  executors  of  the  late  Duchess,  as  she  had  named 
seven. 

From  the  Hon.  R.  K.  Craven  to  the  Miss  Berrys. 

From  durance  vile 

In  Malta's  isle.  3rd  of  April,  1813. 

DEAREST  FRIENDS, — The  inclosed  should  have  charmed  your 
longing  eyes  some  two  months  ago,  as  you  will  see  by  its  date, 
but  only  arrived  here  a  few  days  since ;  Gell  will  not  write  it 
over  again,  indeed,  he  has  not  time,  though  people  in  quaran- 
tine have  a  tolerable  share  of  that  commodity  on  their  hands ; 
but  there  are  maps  to  correct,  sketches  to  finish,  journals  to 
revise,  for  this  is,  we  hope,  our  last  resting  place,  and  to-morrow 
sails  the  packet;  so  I  have  burnt  my  former  envelope,  and 
hastily  substitute  this  scrawl :  the  other  was  more  legible  and 
more  worthy  of  being  read,  as  it  contained  an  account  of  Mr. 
Curius'  house  at  Samos,  with  all  its  concomitant  horrors  in  the 
shape  of  bugs,  Greeks,  spoilt  children,  and  tame  rabbits,  all 
things  unknown  in  our  present  abode,  where  there  is  but  one 
engine  of  terror,  viz.,  the  plague,  but  that  terrifies  the  people 
in  the  town  much  more  than  us  its  next-door  neighbours.  We 
shall  be  about  a  week  longer,  and  then  let  loose  upon  the 
streets  of  Valetta  to  find  a  passage  to  England.  Frederick 
North  says  being  in  quarantine  is  the  pleasantest  state  of 
existence  in  the  world,  that  it  is  like  the  gout  without  the  pain 
of  it,  which  is  a  refinement  I  don't  understand.  You  must  not 
mind  Gell's  letters  being  stabbed,  it  is  the  fashion  with  all 
epistles  from  the  Levant.  I  need  not  say  we  are  in  all  haste  to 
get  home,  and  throw  ourselves  at  your  feet ;  we  think  of  you 
every  day  at  dinner,  because  they  send  us  so  few  peas  from  the 
inn,  and  you  are  always  so  lavish  of  them.  We  have  been 
delayed  everywhere — at  Athens  very  pleasantly;  at  Corinth, 
very  much  the  contrary ;  at  Patras,  odiously ;  at  Zante,  very 
well,  because  there  is  a  most  amiable  Governor,  and  an  elysium 
of  orange  groves:  that  Zante  is  a  spot  of  peculiar  grace  and 
loveliness,  and  makes  one  long  to  be  romantic  and  very  young, 
neither  of  which  I  have  felt  for  many  years.  I  have  no  news, 
except  the  Queen  of  Sicily's  pranks,  which  the  papers  will  tell 
you  of.  The  Concannons  are  here — did  you  know  them  ?  They 

M  If  2 


532  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL. 

have  wandered  over  Italy,  of  which  their  account  would  make 
you  weep.  Imagine  no  carriages  at  Naples,  and  every  soul  in 
Florence  drowned  in  tears.  ...  I  hope  you  mean  to  be  very 
kind  to  us,  for  we  shall  feel  very  shy  at  reappearing  in  the  world, 
especially  me,  who  am  undergoing  the  noviciate  of  a  downright 
entire  wig,  which  makes  me  feel  as  if  I  had  sham  calves. 

I  find  I  can  talk  of  nothing  but  myself,  but  consider  we  are 
in  the  lazaretto,  dans  cet  affreux  palais  de  la  vengeance,  ou 
respirent  a  la  fois  le  crime  et  1'innocence,  that  is,  perfect  health 
and  all  manner  of  pestilence,  with  which 

I  ever  remain,  your  very  obliged  and  affectionate  friend, 

E.  K.  CRAVEN. 

Monday,  April  12^. — At  one  o'clock  Agnes  and  I  went 
to  the  Bayswater  Gate,  in  Kensington  Gardens,  to  see  the 
City  bringing  their  address  to  the  Princess.*  The  crowd 

»/  o       o 

around  the  palace  was  great  and  kept  increasing  every 
moment,  people  here  flocking  through  all  the  walks  of  the 
garden  in  file  and  in  crowds,  all  coming  to  increase  the 
enormous  circle  around  the  palace  on  the  side  of  the 
Princess's  apartment.  Seeing  the  impossibility  of  getting 
nearer  before  it  was  too  late,  we  left  the  garden  by  the 
little  gate  of  the  palace,  and  passing  through  the  Duke 
of  Kent's  court,  got  into  Lady  Charlotte  Lindsay's  apart- 
ment. Arrived  as  far  as  the  little  drawing.room,  we 
found  nothing  but  preparations  for  a  dinner  of  eight  or 
ten  people,  but  hearing  sounds  in  the  next  room,  I  knocked 
at  the  door,  and  a  voice,  which  I  recognised  to  be  that  of 
the  Princess,  called  out  to  us  to  come-in.  We  found  the 
Princess  with  her  three  ladies  and  Miss  Hayman,all  dressed 
and  eating  in  haste,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Lord  Mayor. 

*  At  a  Common  Hall  convoked  on  the  2nd  of  April,  an  Address  to  the 
Princess  was  moved,  and,  notwithstanding  some  opposition,  carried  almost 
unanimously.  It  stated  '  the  indignation  and  abhorrence  '  with  which  the 
Livery  of  London  viewed  '  the  foul  conspiracy  against  the  honour  and  life 
of  Her  Royal  Highness,  and  their  admiration  at  her  moderation,  frankness, 
and  magnanimity  under  her  long  persecution.'  This  address  sprang  from 
the  report  of  certain  members  of  the  Privy  Council  upon  the  conduct  of  the 
Princess,  and  the  discussion  to  which  this  report  gave  rise  in  Parliament. 

Ann.  Reg. 


1813]        DEPUTATION   TO   THE   PEINCESS   OF  WALES.  533 

When  the  Vice-Chancellor  St.  Leger  announced  that  the 
Lord  Mayor  was  approaching,  the  Princess  went  down 
with  the  ladies,  and  we  at  their  tail,  to  the  dining-room 
of  her  apartment,  where  she  was  to  receive.  After  she 
was  placed  with  her  ladies,  and  Miss  Hayman,  and  her 
Chamberlain,  they  opened  all  the  shutters  to  allow  the 
Princess  to  be  seen  by  the  immense  crowd  collected  in  the 
gardens.  They  applauded  tremendously,  and  showed  every 
possible  mark  of  good- will  towards  her.  At  last,  after  a 
good  half  hour,  the  Lord  Mayor  and  four  Aldermen, 
accompanied  by  more  than  150  Liverymen,  came  in  and 
advanced  towards  the  Princess.  The  applause  at  this 
moment  was  so  great  and  so  noisy,  that  they  were  obliged 
to  threaten  the  crowd  outside  to  shut  the  windows  if  they 
were  not  more  quiet :  this  threat  obtained  a  respectful 
silence.  The  town  clerk  (in  the  absence  of  the  recorder) 
read  the  address  very  well ;  and  the  Princess  read  her  an- 
swer also  very  well,  though  at  the  beginning  the  sentences 
were  rather  too  long  and  difficult  for  her  to  pronounce 
well.  She  began  in  a  low  voice,  which  afterwards  grew 
stronger.  In  the  last  part,  where  she  spoke  of  her  daughter, 
&c.,  she  expressed  herself  with  a  good  deal  of  feeling, 
and  seemed  to  be  moved,  which  had  a  very  good  effect, 
as  well  as  the  deliberate  manner  with  which  she  dwelt 
upon  that  part  in  which  she  spoke  of  the  rest  of  the  Eoyal 
Family.  After  the  address  and  answer,  the  Lord  Mayor, 
the  Aldermen,  and  the  Liverymen  kissed  her  hand,  and 
went  out  by  the  little  room  (where  we  were)  to  join  their 
carriages  in  the  Duke  of  Kent's  court.  When  they  were 
all  gone,  the  crowd  outside  called  so  loudly  for  the  Prin- 
cess, that  her  ladies  begged  of  her  to  show  herself  at  the 
middle  window,  and  then  at  the  doors,  and  then  at  the 
two  ends  of  the  apartment :  this  she  did,  accompanied  by 
her  ladies  and  conducted  by  her  chamberlain,  and,  having 
curtsied  to  the  people,  immediately  retired.  I  never  saw 
a  crowd  that  better  deserved  to  have  its  wishes  gratified, 


534  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isis 

for  it  was  not  a  common  mob,  but  workmen,  small  trades- 
people, mixed  with  well-dressed  people,  and  conducting 
themselves  perfectly.  After  this  ceremony,  which  was 
really  touching  from  the  ardour  of  the  people  to  show 
their  good-will  towards  her,  the  Princess  crossed  the 
apartment,  taking  me  by  the  arm  to  go  back  to  Lady 
Charlotte's  little  drawing-room.  We  there  found  dinner, 
the  guests  being  her  four  ladies  and  we  two,  Mr.  St.  Leger 
and  Mr.  Fox,  who  arrived  during  the  speeches.  After 
dinner  took  leave  of  the  Princess,  finding  the  carriage 
at  Bayswater  Gate ;  sorry  only  to  leave  the  gardens  so 
soon  on  such  a  fine  evening,  enlivened  as  they  were  by 
groups  of  people,  in  addition  to  the  crowd  which  had  sur- 
rounded the  palace. 

n  Wednesday,  May  12th. — I  went  to  Lady  Davy's  in  the 
evening.  There  were  seventy  or  eighty  people  there : 
amongst  others  Miss  Edgeworth,*  who  was  my  object.  She 
is  very  small,  with  a  countenance  which  promises  nothing 
at  first  sight,  or  as  one  sees  her  in  society.  She  has  very 
winning  manners.  She  received  with  much  warmth  what 
I  said  of  my  desire  to  see  the  author  of  her  works,  and  of 
all  the  obligations  that  I  felt  in  common  with  all  our  sex 
towards  one  of  her  genius.  She  said  a  great  many  pretty 
things  of  all  she  had  heard  of  me,  and  of  my  society ;  but 
feeling  that  I  did  not  deserve  them,  it  had  little  effect 
|  upon  me,  and  had  hardly  the  power  of  raising  me  for  a 
Ljnoment  from  the  depression  into  which  I  have  fallen. 

Monday,  24th. — In  the  evening  was  the  question  of  the 
Catholic  Emancipation  Bill,  the  first  clause,  which  gave 
the  Catholics  admission  into  Parliament,  was  lost  by  a 
majority  of  four  votes. 

Tuesday,  2bth. — Went  with  Lord  and  Lady  Charle- 

*  Maria  Edge-worth,  daughter  of  Richard  Lovell  Edgeworth ;  born  1767. 
The  well-known  author  of  many  popular  works  adapted  to  the  understand- 
ing of  all  ages,  and  whose  memory  is  entitled  to  the  gratitude  of  those  who 
in  their  childhood  have  profited  by  her  power  of  combining  and  conveying 
to  others  instruction  and  amusement ;  died  1849. 


1813]  THE   PRINCESS   OF  WALES.  535 

mont  *  to  Blackheath  to  see  the  Princess.  She  was  much 
more  lively  than  the  last  time -I  saw  her  ;  spoke  with  the 
greatest  pleasure  and  impatience  of  being  established  in 
town,  and  of  her  certainty  now  of  having  a  house  there. 

Wednesday,  2Qth. — We  went  to  Mrs.  Marcet's  to  see 
4  Spartacus '  played  by  the  Lullins  and  Eegnier,  who  alone 
remained  of  the  last  year's  troup.  '  Spartacus '  has  all  the 
defects  with  which  we  reproach  French  tragedy :  long 
expositions,  recitals  of  the  effect  of  passions  rather  than 
the  effects  themselves,  though  there  are  some  fine  parts, 
strong  sentiments,  some  striking  couplets,  and  the  denou- 
ment,  which  has  a  grand  effect.  Madame  Lullin  played 
even  better  than  last  year.  They  gave  afterwards 
'  Defiance  et  Malice '  very  well. 

Saturday,  29th. — Supped  at  Lady  Davy's  with  the 
Princess;  there  was  only  Lady  Charlemont  and  Lady 
Charlotte  Lindsay,  besides  ourselves,  and  the  gentlemen 
were  Lord  Byron,  Mr.  Grattan,  Lord  Lansdowne,  Sir  J. 
Mackintosh,  Mr.  Mackenzie,  Mr.  Stuart  of  Glasserton,  and 
Lord  Charlemont.  The  Princess  was  tired  body  and 
mind,  and  as  she  confessed  herself,  nothing  less  than 
intoxicated  with  the  applause  that  she  had  received  at 
the  Opera.f 

Tuesday,  June  1st — Drove  with  the  Duke  of  Devon- 
shire, in  his  curricle,  to  Chiswick,  where  he  showed  me 
all  the  alterations  that  he  was  about  to  make,  in  adding 
the  gardens  of  Lady  M.  Coke's  house  to  his.  The  house 
is  down,  and  in  the  gardens  he  has  constructed  a  mag- 
nificent hot-house,  with  a  conservatory  for  flowers,  the 
middle  under  a  cupola.  Altogether  it  is  300  feet  long. 
The  communication  between  the  two  gardens  is  through 

*  Earl  of  Charlemont ;  married,  in  1802,  to  Anne,  daughter  of  William 
Bermingham,  Esq.,  of  Ross  Hill,  Galway. 

t  '  At  the  Opera  the  other  night,  every  person  stood  up  when  the  Princess 
entered  the  house,  and  there  was  a  burst  of  applause.' — Lady  C.  Bury't 
Diary. 


536  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isis 

what  was  the  old  greenhouse,  of  which  they  have  made  a 
double  arcade,  making  the  prettiest  effect  possible. 

Thursday,  3rd. — Walked  to  Miss  Edgeworth's,  who 
we  found  sitting  at  breakfast  with  her  father*  and  step- 
mother, f  We  heard  he  would  not  allow  his  daughter  to 
go  to  see  the  Princess  of  Wales  Tuesday  last,  because  he 
and  his  wife  were  not  invited.  The  little  woman  herself 
is  always  amiable,  always  natural,  intelligent,  and  sensible. 

Tuesday,  29th. — In.  the  evening  we  had  a  few  people 
at  home  ;  and  Madame  de  Stael,  who  came,  talked,  ques- 
tioned, and  went  away  again  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  or 
t  rather  like  a  torrent. 

Monday,  July  bth. — The  grand  breakfast  at  Carlton 
House  was  given  to-day,  so  all  the  world  was  out  of  doors. 
The  largest  part  of  the  company  assembled  at  three  o'clock, 
not  to  separate  till  four  o'clock  to-morrow  morning — that 
is  to  say,  having  been  present  at  a  fete  which  will  last 
thirteen  hours. 

Wednesday,  lih. — I  went  to  see  the  illumination  J  of 
Lord  Dudley's  house,  §  which  was  very  beautiful.  All 
these  three  days,  or  rather  nights'  of  illumination  have 
been  in  the  finest  weather ;  a  rare  thing  in  this  country. 

Friday,  Sth. — Went  in  the  morning  to  see  the  Indians, 
who  performed  some  juggling  tricks  in  Pall  Mall.  I  was 
very  much  amused.  The  figures,  dress,  language,  and  the 
movements  of  these  two  men,  all  transport  one  into 
another  quarter  of  the  globe ;  their  skill  seemed  almost 
supernatural. 

Tuesday,  20th. — To-day  is  to  be  the  grand  fete  at 
Vauxhall,  so  much  talked  of,  in  honour  of  Lord  Wel- 
lington's victories.  At  ten  o'clock  I  started  with  Mrs. 


^o1 


*  Richard  Lovell  Edge-worth,  born  1744,  died  1817.    He  wrote  with  his 
daughter  Essays  on  Irish  Bulls,  on  Education,  and  various  other  works, 
f  Mr.  Edgeworth's  fourth  wife. 
J  For  the  battle  of  Vittoria. 
$  Dudley  House,  in  Park  Lane. 


1813]  FETE   AT  VAUXHALL.  537 

Montague  in  a  coach,  and  Mr.  Knutzen,  the  Norwegian, 
for  my  cavalier,  and  Mr.  Tisdale*  as  her's.  Before  Carlton 
House  the  carriage  stopped,  and  what  was  my  horror 
when  I  saw  that  we  had  already  got  to  the  tail  of  the 
carriages,  which  extended  from  Pall  Mall  to  Vauxhall ! 
We  were  obliged  to  be  patient ;  I  was  too  thankful  to 
think  I  was  not  in  our  own  carriage,  and  to  know  that 
the  horses  and  the  coachman  that  we  had  were  amongst 
the  best  in  London.  All  the  skill  of  the  coachman  and 
the  strength  of  the  horses  were  necessary  to  draw  us 
out :  there  never  was  such  a  confusion  of  carriages,  with- 
out order,  without  soldiers,  or  any  precaution  whatever 
against  the  accidents  which  must  inevitably  happen  in 
such  an  assemblage.  At  length,  after  two  hours  on  the 
road,  and  many  very  perilous  moments,  we  got  out  of  the 
carriage,  about  half  a  mile  from  Vauxhall,  as  the  only 
means  of  getting  there  at  all.  There  never  was  a  fete 
(even  in  this  country)  at  which  it  was  so  difficult  to 
arrive,  with  so  little  to  tempt  one  to  stay,  and  from  which 
it  was  so  impossible  to  get  away."!*  The  stewards  who 
had  dined  there,  and  were  walking  about  with  their 
wands  of  office,  could  do  nothing  for  those  that  belonged 
to  them.  For  the  most  part  of  the  people  there  was  no 
means  of  eating,  drinking,  or  sitting  down.  We  were 
able  to  do  the  latter  ;  but  when  at  half-past  three  in  the 
morning  we  wished  to  leave,  the  crowd  was  for  a  few 
minutes  terrible,  and  after  getting  through  it,  we  had  to 
walk  for  more  than  a  mile  to  join  the  carriage.  They 
will  not  catch  me  at  such  a  fete  in  this  country  again. 
This  has  cost  more  than  10,000/.,  and  they  had  either 
the  carelessness  or  the  meanness  not  to  pay  the  toll-gate, 


*  Son  of  the  Countess  of  Charleville  by  a  former  marriage. 

t  This  account  affords  a  striking  contrast  to  the  arrangements  now  made 
when  large  crowds  are  expected  to  assemble,  and  particularly  on  that 
remarkable  occasion,  within  the  memory  of  all,  the  opening  of  the  Crystal 
Palace  in  Hyde  Park,  1851. 


538  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [isis 

so  that  each  carriage  was  stopped  for  fourpence.  They 
say  that  13,000  persons  were  present — I  do  not  be- 
lieve that.  The  decoration  was  brilliant,  without  much 
taste ;  the  fireworks  not  better  than  usual,  but  repeated 
three  times  during  the  evening. 

Wednesday,  2\st. — We  saw  Madame  de  Stael  this 
morning  at  her  own  house,  who  very  much  amused  us 
with  her  ideas  of  English  society.  She  will  soon  be  dis- 
gusted  with  it :  I  have  always  prophesied  that. 

Thursday,  22nd. — Went  to  Little  Strawberry. 

Friday,  23rd. — We  went  in  the  morning  for  a  short 
time  to  the  late  Mr.  Walter's*  house,  where  they  were 
selling  all  off  by  auction.  The  magnificence  of  the  drawing- 
room  furniture  is  very  great.  It  is  only  in  this  country 
that  the  editor  of  a  paper  could  live  at  such  an  expense. 

Sir  William  Gell  had  just  returned  at  this  time  .to 
England,  and  was  thus  cordially  welcomed  by  the  Miss 
Berrys : — 

From  Miss  Berry  to  Sir  William  Gell. 

Twickenham,  24th  July,  1813. 

You  can  never  be  half  so  glad  to  see  us  as  we  shall  be  to  see 
you.  In  short,  all  your  particular  friends  have  agreed  among 
themselves  that  they  cannot  do  without  you  ;  so  never  think  of 
being  allowed  to  go  to  Phigalia  again,  except  you  travel  like  a 
Tartar  prince,  with  your  whole  horde  about  you. 

When  we  shall  see  you  here  Heaven  knows,  for  you  will  be 
one  of  the  great  lions  of  London  yourself;  and  you  have  just 
come  in  time  to  save  Mde.  de  Stael's  life,  who  certainly  would 
have  roared  herself  to  death  in  another  week. 

When  you  will  be  allowed  to  go  and  show  yourself  at  the 
country  fairs  I  know  not,  but  I  am  not  without  hopes  that  you 
will,  ere  it  be  very  long,  break  away  from  your  keepers,  and 
give  us  a  look  of  you  here. 

We  have  a  snug  little  den  prepared  for  you.  I  am  ready 
with  a  hearty  embrace,  Agnes  with  another,  accompanied  by  a 
continuation  of  the  old  dispute,  as  good  as  new,  Penelope's 

*  Editor  of  the  Times  newspaper. 


1813]  THE    PRINCESS   OF   WALES.  539 

suitors,  and  endless,  like  her  own  web — and  *  then  Mrs.  Harrot 
descends  from  her  garret,'  to  make  you  such  a  pudding  as  shall 
put  all  other  puddings  to  the  blush,  not  to  mention  an  Alderney 
cow,  which  we  have  hired  on  purpose  to  give  you  as  much  milk 
and  cream  as  you  like,  hot  and  hot. 

And  now  farewell,  for  lions  have  as  little  time  for  reading  as 
for  writing  letters. 

JOUKNAL. 

Sunday,  2&th. — About  four  o'clock  the  Princess  arrived 
very  unexpectedly  with  Lady  Charlotte.  She  had  luncheon, 
stayed  and  talked  till  nearly  five  o'clock,  when  she  was 
obliged  to  take  Gell  to  Brandenberg  House  to  dinner. 
The  Princess  is  melancholy,  and  almost  in  ill  humour, 
now  seeing  more  nearly  the  truth  as  to  her  position. 

Saturday,  3lst. — We  dined  early,  to  go  on  the  water 
from  six  till  past  nine  o'clock :  it  was  a  delicious  evening, 
and  the  scene  at  Bichmond  in  great  beauty.  Here  the 
large  ship,  the  Navigation  Barge,  filled  with  people, 
stopped  for  some  time.  We  rowed,  with  a  hundred  other 
boats  also  filled  \vith  people,  around  the  barge,  on  board 
of  which  they  were  dancing  and  playing  music. 

Tuesday,  August  3rd. — Whilst  Agnes  and  my  father 
were  taking  tea,  the  Princess  of  Wales  arrived,  with  Lady 
Charlotte  Lindsay,  Gell,  his  sister,  and  the  little  Willy. 
There  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  give  them  some 
tea  and  coffee.  The  Princess  is  always  in  good  humour, 
and  takes  all  in  good  part  when  she  falls  in  like  a  shot. 
She  took  a  short  walk  in  the  garden,  and  returned  about 
ten  o'clock  to  Kensington. 

Thursday,  19th. — Lady  Glenbervie  and  Lady  Charlotte 
Lindsay  came  this  afternoon.  We  were  under  the  beeches 
with  them  when  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire  arrived,  with 
Madame  de  Stael,  her  daughter,  and  Mr.  Foster,  in  a 
barouche.  We  sat  together  under  the  trees,  and  after 
Lady  Glenbervie  and  Charlotte  were  gone,  Madame  de 


540  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

Stael  related  to  us  for  nearly  an  hour  the  works  that  she 
thought  of  writing,  three  to  be  published  during  her  life- 
time, and  one  after  her  death ;  all  that  with  a  detail  and 
a  rapidity  truly  amusing. 

Miss  Berry's  letter  to  Lady  Hardwicke  gives  a  lively 
description  of  the  last  few  weeks  spent  at  Little  Straw- 
berry. 

Letter  to  Lady  Hardwicke. 

September  llth,  1813. 

Where  are  we,  and  what  have  we  been  about  ?  Why  we  have 
been  keeping  a  guingette  (Anglice,  a  hedge  ale-house),  to  which 
I  have  assigned  the  sign  of  the  *  Cat  and  Bagpipes,'  where 
everybody  has  seemed  to  take  it  for  granted  that  they  were  sure 
to  find  *  Tea  and  coffee,'  *  Hot  roast  and  boiled  every  day,'  and 
1  Dinners  dressed  on  the  shortest  notice.'  Certainly  our  custom 
in  the  chance  line  has  been  great,  to  say  nothing  of  our  beds 
having  been  always  '  slept  in  the  night  before* 

Thus  have  passed  the  six  or  eight  weeks  which  I  had  destined 
to  quiet  reading,  to  Charles  the  Second,  the  Duchess  of  Cleve- 
land, and  many  such  worthies  ! 

But  we  are  now  shortly  going  to  a  retreat  which  we  shall 
certainly  find  sufficiently  retired — I  mean  N.  Audley  St.  Our 
business  here  in  the  public  line,  however  great,  has  not,  as  you 
may  suspect,  been  profitable,  so  that  we  cannot  make  any  fur- 
ther excursions  enfamille  this  year.  We  have,  however,  much 
enjoyed  our  sojourn  at  this  pretty  little  place,  which  was  never 
in  greater  beauty. 

Parting  with  it,  however  necessary,  and  however  I  have  wished 
it,  will  be  a  pang — parting  with  it  for  seven  years ! — for  more, 
much  more,  than  ever  to  me  !  N'en  parlons  plus.  '  Quite  the 
contrary.'  Let  me  tell  you  that  Madame  de  Stael  sticks  to  her 
intention  of  coming  to  you  the  middle  of  November — that  I 
stick  to  my  intention  of  meeting  her,  and  that  Sir  J.  Mackintosh, 
who  in  October  is  going,  not  fox-hunting,  but  paper-hunting,  to 
the  Duke  of  Leeds,  in  Yorkshire,  intends  meeting  us  both  at 
Wimpole  on  his  return, — if  you  and  Lord  Hardwicke  do  not  for- 
bid these  banns.  Long  before  that  time  I  trust  you  will  have 
drunk  your  fill  of  Malvern.  By  the  bye,  drinking  puts  me  in 
mind  of  four  ridiculous  lines,  being  an  account  of  the  travels  of 


1813]  LETTER   FROM   MADAME   DE   STAEL.  541 

the  learned  Person,  which  Sir  J.  Mackintosh  repeated  to  us  the 
other  day,  and  which  I  send  to  Lord  Hardwicke : — 

f  I  went  to  Strasbourg  to  get  drunk 
With  that  learned  Grecian  Brouncke ; 
And  then  to  Leipzig  to  get  drunker 
With  that  more  learned  Grecian  Brouncker.' 

Upon  which  Madame  de  Stae'l  exclaimed,  (Ah  !  que  c'est  joli  !  ' 
an  application  of  the  word  which  amused  me  almost  as  much  as 
the  lines. 

The  said  Stae'l  is  still  at  Eichmond  till  the  end  of  the  month, 
when  her  torrent  of  words  and  ideas  will  no  longer  flow  into  the 
Thames,  but  turn  its  course  towards  London,  and  then  to  Lord 
Lansdowne's,  and  then  into  Staffordshire,  and  then — '  To  Nova 
Zembla  and  the  Lord  knows  where  ; '  but  still  she  sticks  to  being 
at  Wimpole  the  middle  of  November. 

I  trust  and  hope  long  before  that  time  to  have  better  accounts 
of  your  voice  ;  but  if  you  must  still  be  deprived  of  it,  there  can- 
not certainly  be  a  more  convenient  visitor  to  a  dumb  woman 
than  Madame  de  Stae'l. 

The  Dowager  Duchess  of  M.  is  very  much  one  of  the  women 
whom  a  friend  of  ours  calls  virtuous  by  patent.  But  she  has 
very  much  the  manners  of  a  lady,  which  neither  her  patent  for 
virtue,  nor  even  that  of  nobility,  gives. 

The  following  letter  from  Madame  de  Stae'l  to  Miss  Berry 
appears  to  have  been  written  from  some  country  house : — 

Jeudi,  23  Sept. 

Je  vous  dirai  bien  sincerement  que  votre  lettre  m'a  fait  un 
grand  bien.  J'ai  besoin  de  vous  donner  toute  la  confiance  de 
mon  coeur ;  et  cette  amitie,  qui  n'a  point  de  secrets  ni  de  soup- 
cons,  est  tout  a  fait  n^cessaire  a  mon  bonheur.  Je  prefere  votre 
esprit,  votre  caractere,  tout  vous  enfin,  aux  autres,  et  je  vous 
prie  de  me  permettre  de  compter  sur  vous  comme  vous  devez 
compter  sur  moi.  Cette  declaration,  plus  franche  que  celle  des 
Al lie's,  etant  faite,  je  reviens  a  mes  interets  du  jour.  Vous  dinez 
chez  moi  dimanche,  et  je  reviens  demain.  Je  ne  sais  pas  si 
ma  fille  communiera  ou  non  samedi,  c'est  le  ministre  de  la 
paroisse  qui  doit  en  decider.  II  y  a  ici  Lady  Cowper,  Lady 


542  MISS  BERET'S  JOURNAL.  [isis 

Caroline,  les  maris  de  ces  dames,  Mr.  Nugent,  Mr.  Ward. 
Lady  Besborough  est  partie  ce  matin,  et  Lord  Melburne  nous  a 
quitte,  quoiqu'il  fut  assez  bien  apprivoise  avec  moi.  Y  a-t-il  des 
nouvelles  de  la  paix  ou  de  la  guerre  ?  Vous  concevez  de  quel 
interet  cela  est  pour  moi.  Entre  les  Cosaques  et  le  Corse,  je 
vois  bien  peu  d'espoir  de  liberte  pour  la  France,  et  je  ne  sais 
que  souhaiter,  inais  je  sais  tres-bien  que  craindre.  Aimez-moi, 
je  vous  prie,  avec  indulgence  a  de  certains  egards,  parce  que 
vous  avez  su  faire  plus  de  sacrifices  que  moi;  mais  ce  qui 
ajoute  a  votre  merite  c'est  que  nos  caracteres  ont  plus  d'analogie 
que  nos  actions.  Adieu.  Tachez  done  de  guerir  ces  maux  de 
tete.  Voyez  Farquhar ;  il  me  traite.  Adieu. 


JOUENAL. 

Saturday,  September  18th. — We  signed  with  Alderman 
Wood  the  agreement  for  our  pretty  little  house  for  seven 
years  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  guineas  a  year,  he  paying 
the  taxes,  repairs,  and  every  other  expense.  It  is  very 
little  for  property  in  this  neighbourhood,  and  in  such  a 
good  situation.  After  going  round  the  garden,  &c.,  we 
told  him  he  could  take  possession  after  Wednesday  next. 
I  wish  that  the  Wednesday  were  passed,  because  adieux 
are  always  sad. 

Wednesday,  22nd. — Eemoved  to  London.  It  was  fine 
— I  was  very  glad,  bad  weather  would  have  increased 
the  sadness  of  our  adieu  to  Little  Strawberry.  I  took  a 
turn  round  the  enclosure  quite  alone.  The  recollections 
that  my  walk  brought  to  mind  were  all  melancholy. 
During  twenty- two  years  that  I  had  owned  it,  I  had  been 
but  little  happy ;  still  though  I  left  it  with  regret,  I  told 
myself  that  this  separation  was  necessary :  I  had  long 
wished  for  it,  as  that  would  save  us  from  an  expense  and 
from  cares  which  weighed  down  upon  us,  and  which  in- 
creased more  arid  more  every  day.  That  the  last  two 
months  had  perhaps  been  the  greatest  enjoyment  that  I 
had  ever  had  in  the  place,  because  I  was  almost  sure  of 


1813]  MADAME   DE   STAEL. — CCBRAX.  543 

being  quit  of  it.  I  said  to  myself  all  that,  I  felt  the  truth 
of  it,  but  notwithstanding  I  suffered,  and  should  have 
felt  sorry  if  I  had  not  suffered. 

Saturday,  October  2nd. — In  the  evening  Agnes  and  I 
went  to  Sir  J.  Mackintosh's,  where  Madame  de  Stael  had 
dined ;  we  found  there  the  Davys,  Ward,  Lord  Byron, 
Malthus,  Curran  *  the  famous  Irish  advocate,  and  some 
other  men.  Madame  de  Stael  appropriated  as  usual 
Curran,  though  Sir  James  tried  and  succeeded  in  making 
the  conversation  more  general.  Curran's  conversation  is 
eloquent,  but  without  taste. 

Tuesday,  5th. — Saw  Lord  Webb  Seymour.  In  the 
evening  we  went  to  Madame  de  Stael,  where  there  was  a 
very  agreeable  society  of  about  half-a-dozen  ladies  and 
twenty  gentlemen.  One  should  never  have  said,  in  looking 
at  the  company  yesterday,  that  one  was  in  London  in  the 
month  of  October.  London  would  be  really  delightful  if 
it  was  never  fuUer  than  at  the  present  time. 

Wednesday,  6th. — Dined  at  the  Princess's.  The  Prin- 
cess joined  less  in  the  conversation  than  I  ever  saw  her 
before. 

Saturday,  $th. — At  dinner  we  had  Sir  H.  and  Lady 
Davy,  Mrs.  Darner,  Lord  W.  Seymour,  and  Frederick 
Douglas.  In  the  evening,  Madame  de  Stael  and  her 
daughter,  the  two  Kawdons,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gordon,  Mr. 
Mercer,  Mr.  Ward,  Dr.  Kinnaird,  Mr.  Boswell,  the  Coun- 
tesse  de  Palmella.  A  very  good  little  society,  where 
Madame  de  Stael  and  Ward  talked  a  great  deal  and  very 
well. 

Monday,  l~Lth. — I  went  to  Madame  de  Stael  f  in  the 

*  James  Curran,  born  1750.  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading 
Irish  patriots ;  greatly  distinguished  by  his  oratory  in  the  stormy  debates  of 
the  Irish  House  of  Commons,  and  by  his  strong  opposition  to  the  union  of 
Ireland  with  England ;  died  1817. 

t  ' .  .  .  S'il  fait  mauvais,  ne  sortez  pas,  et  donnez-moi  seulement  la 
consolation  de  votre  socie'te'  des  que  vous  le  pourrez.  Ma  fille  eat  aussi  bien 
qu'une  rougeole  puisse  la  pennettre.' 


544  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL. 

morning,  knowing  that  her  daughter  had  the  measles. 
I  conversed  quietly  and  agreeably  with  her  for  half  an 
hour. 

Tuesday,  \§th. — Eeturning  home  from  dinner  with 
Madame  de  Stael,  I  found  a  man  sleeping  upon  the  door- 
steps ;  our  servants  called  to  the  watchman  to  take  charge 
of  him.  The  threshold  of  the  door  was  all  covered  with 
blood,  which  had  been  running  from  the  wounds  in  his 
head.  The  poor  man  had  been  ill-treated  in  the  streets, 
he  had  knocked  loudly  at  our  door  for  assistance,  having 
seen  a  light.  At  last  the  watchmen  carried  him  away 
upon  a  stretcher,  that  I  made  them  make  of  a  door  which 
our  men  had  given  them. 

Sunday,  31st. — Dined  at  Kensington  with  Lady  Glen- 
bervie  and  Lady  Charlotte ;  the  other  visitors  were 
Douglas  Kinnaird  and  Mr.  Lewis.  The  Princess  was  in 
good  humour,  but  not  very  cheerful,  and  appearing  to 
find  her  situation  more  hopeless,  without  the  death  of  one 
of  the  two, — which  is  very  true. 

Saturday,  November  Qth. — I  have  seen  the  best  of  the 
illuminations  for  the  great  success  of  the  allies  in  Ger- 
many. Carlton  House  was  very  brilliant,  the  Admiralty 
and  all  the  Government  Offices,  the  Ministers'  houses, 
and  the  houses  of  other  official  men,  but  the  illumination 
is  not  at  all  general,  and  though  this  evening  (Saturday) 
there  were  a  great  number  of  people  in  the  streets, 
towards  Pall  Mall  and  Whitehall  there  was  not  the  least 
confusion,  and  in  our  quarter  perfect  tranquillity. 

Wednesday,  17th. — In  the  morning  I  saw  Ward  for  a 
moment,  and  afterwards  I  was  with  the  Princess  for  an 
hour  at  her  house.*  It  is  anything  but  a  palace,  but  the 
situation  is  good,  and  she  is  certainly  better  lodged  than 
I  have  ever  seen  her  elsewhere. 

Wednesday,  2&th. — They  fired  the  guns  for  the  re- 
establishment  of  the  British  Government  at  Hanover,  and 

*  Connaught  Place. 


18T3]  LETTER   TO   LADY   GEORGIAN  MORPETH.  545 

in  the  evening  we  heard  the  news  of  the  taking  of  St.  Fe 
in  France  by  Lord  Wellington. 

TJiursday,  25th. — At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  the 
guns  were  fired  for  the  news  of  the  preceding  evening, 
and  again  between  three  and  four,  for  the  arrival  of  the 
news  of  the  taking  of  Dresden  by  the  Allies.  No  one 
ever  remembered  the  guns  being  fired  three  times  in 
thirty-six  hours,  as  it  has  now  happened. 

From  Miss  Berry  to  Lady  Georgiana  Morpeth. 

November  25th,  1813. 

MY  DEAR  GL, — I  have  appeared  very  ungrateful  in  not  sooner 
thanking  you  for  your  letter  of  the  30th  from  Castle  Howard ; 
but  I  have  the  old,  tiresome,  but  alas  I  too  real  excuse  of  such 
health,  as  actually  eats  up  three  parts  of  my  existence.  I  am 
consequently  left  with  but  a  fourth  part  of  the  time  which  people 
possess  for  the  business,  the  amusements,  and  the  idlenesses  of 
life.  This  makes  me  live  in  a  perpetual  vain  attempt  to  do 
more  than  is  possible. 

The  retirement  of  London,  in  which  I  thought  I  was  going 
to  do  so  much  after  the  dissipation  of  Twickenham,  has  turned 
out,  as  London  always  does  to  me  (except  during  what  is  called 
the  season),  so  agreeable,  so  much  good  society,  and  one  could 
so  well  enjoy  it,  that  I  have  had  just  as  little  time  to  myself  as 
I  had  in  the  country. 

The  Stael  left  Richmond  much  about  the  same  time  that  we 
left  Twickenham,  and  wherever  she  is,  there  will  society  be  also 
— if  it  is  to  be  had  within  ten  miles  a  la  ronde.  Except  during 
her  visit  to  Bowood,  and  now  that  she  is  for  a  week  at  Middle- 
ton,*  she  has  been  constantly  in  town,  giving  very  agreeable 
dinners  and  soirees,  with  two  or  three  women  and  half-a-dozen 
men — dont  ette  se  charge  toute  seule. 

She  is  always  entertaining,  and  I,  who  know  her  so  much  and 
so  well,  will  add  always  good-natured,  and  never  mechanic. 
Ward  and  she  will  amuse  you.  She  thinks  him  handsome,  and 
d'un  joli  tourneur.  I  tell  her  she  has  undertaken  two  miracles, 

*  Seat  of  the  Earl  of  Jersey,  in  Oxfordshire. 
VOL.  II.  K  N 


546  MISS  BEEBY'S  JOUENAL. 

to  make  him  poli  envers  les  femmes,  et  pieux  envers  Dieu. 
And  there  is  no  saying,  if  they  go  on,  what  her  success  may  be. 
En  attendant,  they  make  very  good  company  for  other  people. 

Among  the  agreeables,  we  have  had  Lady  Harrowby  in  town 
for  some  weeks. 

JOUKNAL. 

Wednesday,  Dec.  1st. — We  both  of  us  dined  with  the 
Princess  in  Connaught  Place,  the  first  time  that  she  has 
given  a  dinner  in  her  new  house,  which  is  still  all  upside 
down.  The  company  consisted  only  of  Gell  and  Craven, 
who  arrived  in  town  to-day.  Lady  C.  Campbell  and 
Lady  C.  Lindsay  in  waiting.  The  Princess  was  particu- 
larly melancholy,  wept  when  speaking  to  me  of  herself, 
confessing  herself  entirely  overwhelmed  with  her  situation 
and  her  prospects  for  the  future. 

Tuesday,  1th. — Dined  at  Lord  Stafford's  with  Madame 
de  Stael,  her  daughter,  and  her  son,  Sir  James  and  Lady 
Mackintosh,  &c.  In  the  evening  more  guests,  making  a 
very  agreeable  soiree.  At  dinner  the  conversation  rather 
flagged.  Madame  de  Stael  was  not  excited  enough  ;  it 
appeared  to  me  that  she  only  wanted  that  to  be  as  bril- 
liant as  usual,  though  she  had  to-day  received  the  news 
of  the  death  of  Comte  Louis  de  Narbonne.  One  must 
acknowledge  that  one  could  not  lose  an  old  lover  more 
gaily,  as  it  was  said  of  Charles  the  Vllth  of  his  kingdom. 

Saturday,  llth. — At  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  I  went 
to  Madame  de  Stael's.  The  Duke  of  Sussex,  Lord  and 
Lady  Liverpool,  Lord  Harrowby,  and  several  diplomats, 
had  dined  there.  In  the  evening  other  ladies  arrived, 
Lady  Stafford  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  G.  Lamb,  &c. 

Sunday,  2Qth. — Dined  at  Madame  de  Stael's  with  Sir 
James  and  Lady  Mackintosh,  Mr.  Ward,  The  Comte  Pal- 
milla,  Mr.  Sharp,  and  her  own  family.  A  very  agreeable 
dinner:  two  or  three  artists  in  the  evening. 

Wednesday,  29th. — Dined  at  the  Princess's :  there  were 


1813]  LETTER  PROM   SIR  UVEDALE   PRICE.  547 

only  Mr.  Craven,  Little  "Willy,*  and  a  young  playfellow  of 
his,  and  Lady  Orme  :  these  dinners  become  insupportable ; 
the  dulness  makes  me  almost  ill  in  the  course  of  a  long 
evening,  only  interrupted  by  the  Princess  singing  with 
Mr.  Craven,  which  is  a  screeching  of  which  no  idea  can 
be  formed  without  hearing  it. 

From  Sir  Uvedale  Price  to  Miss  Berry. 

Foxley,  December  18th,1813. 

.  .  .  .  I  want  your  assistance  in  making  some  inquiries, 
which,  as  you  may  suppose,  relate  to  the  work  about  which  I 
am  very  busily  employed.  I  have  never  told  you  exactly  what 
it  was  to  be,  and  as  I  feel  sure  that  you  take  the  same  interest 
in  my  productions  that  I  do  in  yours — scribetur  tibi  forma 
loquacitur  ;  and,  indeed,  something  of  the  kind  is  necessary  by 
way  of  preface  to  the  inquiries.  If  our  two  publications  should 
happen  to  come  out  at  the  same  time,  we  shall  produce  them 
under  similar  titles,  for  mine  is  intended  to  be  a  *  Comparative 
View  '  of  the  different  opinions  respecting  visible  beauty  ;  other 
kinds  of  beauty  will  of  course  be  often  considered,  but  chiefly 
in  the  way  of  illustration.  Hogarth's  '  Analyses  of  Beauty '  is,  I 
believe,  the  first  book  written  in  our  language  on  the  subject, 
and,  as  far  as  I  know,  in  any  other.  Many  things  in  it  have 
been  laughed  at,  and  are  open  to  ridicule ;  but  it  contains  a 
number  of  just  and  original  observations,  and  Burke's  theory  is 
in  a  great  degree  taken  from  it,  though  he  has  not  acknowledged 
hi§  obligations.  The  principal  writers,  after  these  two,  are 
Knight,  Dugald  Stewart,  and  Alison,  at  least  I  know  of  no 
others.  Alison's  theory  is  at  present  the  most  popular ;  partly  I 
believe  from  its  being  very  flattering  to  the  spiritual  part  of  our 
nature,  and  partly  from  its  having  been  very  highly  spoken  of, 
and  very  ingeniously  explained  and  illustrated,  in  the '  Edinburgh 
Eeview  '  of  1811.  I  will  not  say,  as  Knight  said  to  me  in  one  of 
his  letters  about  Burke's  theory  (giving  one  a  strong  hint  that 
he  should  serve  mine  the  same  sauce),  *  If  I  do  not  cut  up  "  The 
Sublime  and  Beautiful "  root  and  branch,  set  me  down  for  a 
blockhead.'  The  risk  is  too  great  in  case  of  failure ;  for  an 
author  of  nice  sensibility  should  be  less  afraid  of  having  his  head 
*  William  Austen. 
2  N  2 


548  MISS  BERRY'S  JOURNAL.  [ms 

laid  on  the  block,  than  of  having  the  block  fixed  to  his  head.  I 
will  venture  to  say,  however,  that,  if  I  am  not  strangely  mis- 
taken, Mr.  Alison's  theory  will  be  found  on  examination,  in 
many  essential  points,  more  like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision 
than  the  strong-based  promontory.  You  will  not  suppose  from 
this  that  I  deny,  or  do  not  feel  and  acknowledge  in  its  fullest 
extent,  the  powerful  influence  of  association ;  I  only  question 
the  exclusive  influence  which  has  been  attributed  to  it,  and  by 
that,  something  may  be  allowed,  where  visible  beauty  is  con- 
cerned, to  form  colour  and  physical  qualities.  Fitzpatrick,  in 
that  exquisite  poem  I  once  read  to  you,  has  settled  the  matter 
most  judiciously,  and  one  might  almost  think  that  he  had  these 
metaphysicians  in  view  when  he  makes  the  Soul  say  to  the  Body, 

Yet  trust  me,  I'm  willing  to  waive  all  dispute ; 
For  though  certain  grave  doctors,  by  few  understood, 
Think  they  flatter  me  much  when  they  call  you  a  brute, 
Those  who  wish  to  divide  us  can  mean  us  no  good. 

So  much  for  my  preface ;  now  for  the  inquiries.  The  review 
was  made  on  a  late  edition  of  Alison ;  my  remarks  on  the  first 
in  1790;  and  I  believe  that  there  was  none  between  the  two. 
This  I  could  wish  you  to  inquire ;  and  also  whether  in  the  last 
edition  there  is  much  that  is  entirely  Dew,  or  whether  there  are 
many  essential  alterations.  The  other  inquiry  I  wish  you  to 
make  is  of  a  more  extensive  kind.  I  believe  I  am  acquainted 
with  most  of  the  English  authors  who  have  written  on  the  sub- 
ject in  question ;  but  I  do  not  know  of  any  who  have  expressly 
written  on  it  in  French.  You  are  likely  to  know  whether  there 
be  any  such  treatise,  or  anything  worth  notice  mixed  with  other 
matter ;  and  if  you  should  not,  your  friend  Madame  de  Stael, 
though  she  may  not  have  turned  her  mind  particularly  to  objects 
of  that  kind,  is  very  likely  to  know  what  has  been  written  on 
them,  and  perhaps  you  will  get  what  information  you  can  for 
me.  I  never  happened  to  be  in  company  with  her,  and  I  thought 
myself  very  unlucky,  particularly  as  Spencer  asked  me  to  meet 
her  one  evening  at  his  house.  I  remember  that  Mdme.  Moreau 
was  likewise  to  be  there.  You  may  very  well  ask  what  could 
keep  me  away.  I  am  almost  ashamed  of  saying  it  was  a  con- 
cert, which,  in  spite  of  my  passion  for  music,  I  should  have 
given  up,  but  it  was  not  only  a  very  choice  one,  but  one  to  which 


1813]  LETTER   FEOM   SIR   UVEDALE   PRICE.  549 

Lady  Douglas  was,  as  a  great  favour,  allowed  to  carry  me.  In 
the  way  there  she  gave  me  an  excellent  account  of  a  conversa- 
tion she  had  overheard  between  Madame  de  Stael  and  Lord 
Erskine.  I  have  not  yet  seen  '  L'Allemagne  ; '  but  your  letter  is 
full  of  it,  and  Lord  Holland,  in  one  of  his,  asks  me,  Have  you 
read '  L'Allemagne '  ? '  Du  bruit  de  Bajazet  mon  ame  importunee ' 
can  have  no  rest  till  I  have  read  it,  and  I  have  no  doubt  of  the 
pleasure  it  will  give  me.  She  is  certainly  a  very  extraordinary 
woman,  even  when  one  considers  the  stock  she  comes  from,  and 
how  highly  bred  she  is,  for  thinking  and  writing. 

Upon  reading  a  few  days  ago  in  the  papers  an  account  of  the 
Queen  of  Naples'  magnificent  reception  at  the  Ottoman  court, 
it  occurred  to  me  that  the  Grand  Signior  might  have  taken  a 
fancy  for  her.  She  carries  me  back  to  Naples,  and  brings  to  my 
mind  her  last  exploit  there,  and  the  blot,  the  only  blot  in  Nel- 
son's character,  when  he  gave  his  sanction  to  such  abominations, 

Against  his  better  knowledge,  not  deceived, 
But  fondly  overcome  with  female  charm. 


END  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLUME. 


LOHDOK 

VBINTBD    BY    SrOTTISWOODX    AND    CO. 
HBW-STMBT  BQUABB 


DA  Berry,  Mary 

536        Extracts  of  the  journals 

33A2  and  correspondence  from  the 

1895  year  1783  to  1852 

v.2 


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